Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Presidential Resolution “On measures to improve the system of providing social services and assistance to the elderly and persons with disabilities who need outside care” was adopted.

The document identifies priority areas for the provision of social services in this direction:

optimization and digitalization of procedures for identifying lonely elderly people and persons with disabilities;

organization of social services at the mahalla level;

socialization of persons in need of care by improving their health and quality of life;

increasing private sector participation in the social protection system;

introduction of a system of differentiated social services and assistance based on the social status of lonely elderly people and persons with disabilities.

Identification of those in need

The Inson Social Services Center maintains a Register of lonely and lonely elderly people and persons with disabilities who need outside care in the Unified National Social Protection information system.

The center also assesses the level of need for outside care and draws up a plan for the provision of individual social services.

Replacement of lost biometric passports (identification ID cards) of single elderly people and persons with disabilities is carried out at the request of the Inson Social Services Center without charging a state fee.

How social services will be provided

From 1 February 2024, state-guaranteed social services and assistance to single elderly people and persons with disabilities included in the register are provided on the basis of a contract for the provision of social services.

From 1 March 2024, a flexible work schedule will be introduced for social worker assistants to provide services to single elderly people and persons with disabilities, on all days of the week on an hourly basis.

The distribution of the property of a person under guardianship and other transactions aimed at deciding his fate are coordinated with the Inson social service centers before notarization.

From 1 April 2024, in the Inson social service centers and medical and social institutions of the National Social Protection Agency, a procedure for the provision of paid services on a contractual basis is being introduced.

Single elderly people and persons with disabilities included in the register and their accompanying person are provided with free train or intercity bus tickets (round trip) once a year.

The work of social services will begin to be assessed

From 1 March 2024, the activities of social worker assistants are assessed once a month by single elderly people personally, by social workers in the mahalla and by a special program. Based on the assessment results, Inson social service centers encourage social worker assistants.

An employee of the Inson Social Services Center, a social worker, a representative of a special monitoring group of the district medical association and the chairman of a citizens’ meeting monitor the quality of social services once every six months. Wherein:

the ability of single elderly people and persons with disabilities to perform simple and complex actions is assessed;

the responsible employee evaluates the timing, result, quality, efficiency, safety of the services provided, defined in the individual service plan. Monitoring data is entered into the “Unified National Social Protection” information system;

the user of the social service evaluates the level of satisfaction with the service.

Organizational changes

Boarding houses for the elderly and people with disabilities “Sakhovat” and the Republican boarding house for war and labor veterans are being renamed into social support centers.

The centers will have social and labor rehabilitation rooms for the socialization of lonely elderly people and people with disabilities. Staffing positions are being introduced: one social worker, rehabilitation specialist and labor instructor for every 100 residents. Residents of the centers can engage in work activities.

From 1 April 2024, in social support centers located in Samarkand and Fergana regions, Tashkent, on an experimental basis:

persons placed in them are given the opportunity for short-term and long-term stay and complete departure from the boarding house according to their needs and desires;

Short-term and long-term social and rehabilitation services are provided in mobile form and in the form of day visits. These services are used by:

elderly people in need of care and persons with disabilities from families included in the IT “Unified Register of Social Protection”, once a year free of charge;

elderly and persons with disabilities of the region in which social support centers are located, on a contractual basis.

From 1 May 2024, instead of monthly compensation for payments for housing and communal services and monthly additional payments for food and personal care products, single elderly people and persons with disabilities included in the register are paid monthly financial assistance in the amount of minimum consumer expenses for single elderly people and persons with disabilities.

The document approved the “Road Map” for further improvement of the system of support for the elderly and persons with disabilities in need of social protection.