A cooperation agreement was signed at the Nikšić Nursing Home on the implementation of the second part of the project "Support for Dignified Aging", which envisages the procurement of 50 electric beds, worth more than 40 thousand euros.
The project leader is the non-governmental organization (NGO) "Social Justice", and the donors are "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography, and the Municipality of Nikšić.
"In the first phase of the project, implemented in September 2023, we provided medical equipment worth 20.000 euros for this institution," said Marija Kastratović, from the NGO "Socijalna pravda".
The 2023 donation consisted of 20 wheelchairs and five toilet carts, an ECG machine, an autoclave, a defibrillator, a laser therapy machine, and 12 oximeters.
"This initiative represents an example of successful cooperation between the state, local government and the civil sector and is an indicator that together we can change things for the better, and our goal is to expand the project to other nursing homes throughout Montenegro. As before, we will continue to do humane and concrete things, with the same motive - to enable a dignified life for vulnerable categories of our society," said Kastratović.
According to the acting director of the Home for the Elderly, Jelena Banjević, electric beds will be allocated to the palliative care and dementia wards.
"I am pleased that together we will provide better conditions for our users," said Banjević.
Representatives of the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" pointed out that they have been participating in numerous humanitarian projects in Montenegro for ten years and that they have been recognized for their donations of wheelchairs to municipal Red Cross organizations throughout Montenegro.
As Kevin Allen emphasized, they have also donated to the General Hospital in Nikšić and the hospital in Kotor, and they cooperate with schools and NGOs, such as the organization "Socijalna pravda". He expressed hope that they will continue with such and similar projects so that their help reaches as many people as possible.
The aforementioned organization has existed since 1985 and has so far donated around two billion euros in aid worldwide.
Sabina Muratović, Acting Director General of the Directorate for Social Welfare in the relevant ministry, said that the goal of all is to provide the best possible and highest quality conditions for users in the Nursing Home. She appealed for this practice of assistance to continue.
According to the Vice President of the Municipality of Nikšić, Zoran Tomić, the local government always participates in projects aimed at improving the position of older citizens, and, as he said, will continue to do so in the future.
"We are obligated to show them that we are here for them and to somehow repay them for everything they have done for our city and country during their professional careers," said Tomić.
The Nikšić Home for the Elderly has 150 residents, and a fourth pavilion was recently opened, so applications for new residents are ongoing.
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