Cyprus plans to introduce free home-based services for older people from January 1, 2027, with a pilot programme in the mountainous Limassol district offering nursing care, practical assistance and help with government paperwork.
The mobile social care units will aim to support elderly people who struggle with daily activities or have difficulty travelling to access essential services. The programme will also provide guidance to family members caring for older relatives.
Social Welfare Deputy Minister Tina Pavlou stated that the initiative is intended to place people and their individual needs at the centre of social policy.
The government’s plan comes as Cyprus faces an ageing population. Almost one in five residents is now aged over 65, while around 30,000 older people face serious limitations in their daily lives because of health problems. Life expectancy exceeds 82 years, but average healthy life expectancy is around 66.
Social workers to help with applications and public services
Social workers will play a central role in the mobile units, assessing each older person’s needs and helping them access the appropriate services.
Their support will go beyond advice. They will also help complete applications and government documents, reducing the need for people with mobility difficulties to travel to public offices or seek assistance elsewhere.
The aim is to bring a service similar to a Citizen Service Centre into the home, with social workers helping older people navigate public services.
Families will also receive guidance on where to seek assistance and what support is available.
Home nursing tailored to individual needs
Nursing care will form the second main part of the programme.
Nurses will visit older people at home and provide care according to their health needs, in consultation with their treating doctors.
The plan includes coordination with personal doctors and specialists when necessary, linking home-based support with medical monitoring.
The frequency and extent of nursing care will depend on each person’s circumstances rather than being limited to a standard visit.
Help with meals, household tasks and transport
Care workers will provide practical assistance with everyday activities that older people can no longer manage independently.
Depending on individual needs, this may include help with household tasks, securing meals and other essential daily activities.
The programme will also seek to arrange transport to and from healthcare facilities for older people who have difficulty travelling.
Some services, such as preparing meals when long-term assistance is needed, may be provided directly through the programme or arranged in cooperation with other organisations and service providers.
Services will be free of charge
Older people participating in the programme will not have to pay for the services.
The initial pilot will be delivered by the subsidised organisation selected to implement it.
An initial assessment will take place after three months. The results will help determine whether the programme should be expanded and whether additional services are needed.
The government is also examining the possibility of including doctors in the mobile units at a later stage. However, medical visits by doctors are not part of the initial pilot.
Pilot programme to begin in mountainous Limassol
The programme will initially operate in the mountainous Limassol district, where the authorities aim to assess local needs and evaluate the effectiveness of the services.
The Estia Centre, which has years of experience in supporting older people and already has staff and the necessary infrastructure, will undertake the pilot implementation.
The area was selected because the organisation has already identified needs among older residents there.
Although the first phase will focus on older people, the government’s longer-term ambition is to extend home-based services to other people who have difficulty travelling, regardless of age.
The mobile unit staff will also have opportunities to train domestic carers who already assist older people at home, according to their respective professional specialisations.
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