Home care program for elderly disabled and isolated people : final report -- September 1st to November 30th 1997

With the help of Cantonal Red Cross volunteers, the program provided 1,000 of the most vulnerable portion of the Tuzla population with: (1) 2 tons of coal (a 4-month supply); (2) hygienic parcels containing washing powder, soap, shampoo, and dishwashing liquid, items (a 2.5-month supply); and (3) bedding consisting of blankets, sheets, and mattress covers (many bedridden beneficiaries had no sheets and insufficient blankets and some were using plastic sheeting in place of blankets). The items, which were efficiently delivered by local suppliers, were of good quality (the bedding in particular was thicker than the Bosnian standard) and beyond the means of the beneficiaries. On the whole, beneficiaries were grateful and satisfied with the quality of the aid they received. According to field officers, 32% are incapable of leaving their homes. However, the target population is still in need; that most cited is for food. Despite humanitarian aid (the American Red Cross and the World Food Programme cover the basic food needs of 82% of the target population) there is still a need for complementary foods, such as fruit and vegetables or animal proteins. Also, while the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) covers the town of Orasje, and CARE covers Tuzia, other municipalities of the canton do not benefit from any regular home care program, and very few NGOs cover hygienic and heating needs. Finally, an unavowed need by beneficiaries but clearly visible to field officers is diapers for incontinence.