Alexander Rzhanenkov, Chairman of the Smolny Committee for Social Protection, said that next year it is planned to expand the list of districts where caregivers in St. Petersburg will work. According to him, about 33 thousand bedridden disabled people live in the families of citizens, the waiting list for nursing homes for the elderly is about 300 people. To change the situation, the Committee for Social Protection considers it necessary to create an institute of state caregivers, which should appear in 2009.
“In a number of regions of Russia there is experience in creating a caregiver service, we want to analyze it and think about how it can be implemented here. Perhaps it will be the purchase of services from non-profit or commercial organizations. It is necessary to work out all the necessary documents and criteria by which this service will be provided. In any case, the institute of caregivers in St. Petersburg will appear no earlier than 2008,” said Alexander Rzhanenkov.
So far, only 20 caregivers are working in the city under this pilot project.