Due to money shortage, social care in Riga is in a critical state, as mentioned in the report submitted to Riga City Council’s Social Affairs Committee.
The Welfare Department points to the critical situation in connection with the provision of the home care service and the service of a long-term social care and social rehabilitation institution.
Additional financing is needed to resolve the situation.
In total, an additional EUR 581 278 is needed for 2024, while another EUR 3.7 million is needed to provide funding for the additional 390 places financed this year in 2025 and to further reduce the queue.
The department explains that in the eight months of 2024, 7 308 persons received the home care service, including 6 492 adults and 816 children, which is an increase of 702 persons or 11% over the eight months of 2023.
The number of adults with very low self-care abilities has increased significantly.
These are people who need more than 12 hours of care per week. The number of such persons has increased from 3 716 persons in the eight months of last year to 4 238 persons this year in the eight months. The increase is 522 persons or 14%.
The number of children that receive social care services at home has increased by 187 people or 30%.
The lack of funding for the home care service in 2024 is around EUR 4.9 million by the end of the year, and in 2025 – around EUR 7 million.
The number of persons waiting in queue of the Riga Social Service was 898 persons in September of this year, but the average waiting time in the queue has increased from three months last year to six months this year.
In 2023, up to 1 580 places were provided in contract organizations. Due to insufficient funding, this year the number of seats has been reduced to 1 371.
The department also points to other problems.
In order to solve them, it is requested to provide for an additional EUR 4.9 million for the service “home care” in the budget amendments, and another EUR 582 000 for the provision of services in contract organizations.
Riga City Council’s Social Affairs Committee will view this issue on Wednesday, the 9th of October.