The National Confederation of Retired People, Pensioners and the Elderly (MURPI) is delivering a petition to Parliament today with more than 8,000 signatures demanding a public network of care homes and reinforced support for the elderly who remain at home.
Thepetition, launched in mid-April, has gathered the support of more than 8,000 signatories from all over the country in a month and a half. They are calling for the creation of a public network of homes with affordable fees for pensioners and for the strengthening of the network of facilities and support services for the elderly.
In a statement, MURPI highlights the lack of residential homes with decent conditions in Portugal, pointing out the need for measures aimed at the residence of elderly people who live in a situation of dependency and without the support to continue living in their own homes.
“This is a national shortage which has mobilized thousands of people around this petition,” the confederation points out, explaining that today’s delivery of the petition to the Assembly of the Republic does not mean the end of the fight for the right to accessible public homes.
“We’re not calling it a day, quite the opposite, we’ll keep in touch with everyone who wants to join,” the document announces.