Renovation of the Healthy Aging Center premises in the final phase

Representatives of the Centar Municipality Council, along with members of the Commission for the Status of Senior Citizens and the Commission for Improving the Quality of Healthcare and Family Medicine in the Centar municipality, visited the premises at Maršala Tita Street 12 (former restaurant 'La Famiglia') where renovation is underway and the future Healthy Aging Center will be located, reports the Patria News Agency.  

In the Centar Municipality budget for 2015, 250,000 KM were allocated for this purpose. 200,000 KM were allocated for the renovation of the building, and 50,000 KM for the purchase of necessary furniture. 

- The implementation of this project is of great importance for the senior citizens of the Centar municipality. The facility is in the final phase of renovation, said the President of the Municipal Council, Nedžad Ajnadžić.

The author of the project task for the reconstruction of the Center's premises, Ljilja Borovčanin-Ćirković, emphasized that European experiences were applied during the project development.

- In addition to the renovated space on the first floor, in the basement of the building, we have the possibility to create another multi-purpose hall with a platform for disabled persons, for which we obtained a study from the Institute for Materials and Construction of the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Sarajevo, and received the necessary approvals. However, due to finances, we did not undertake this part of the project at this time, stated Borovčanin-Ćirković.

Architect Zijo Krvavac, on behalf of the company 'I.D.E.A.', which did the main project for the reconstruction of the space, presented what will be located in the premises of the future Center.

– The largest room will be used for the all-day stay of the Center's users and will have a multifunctional role with a kitchen, a social games area, and a library. We also have a room for various types of training, and a room with computers. The toilets are adapted for elderly and disabled persons. At the entrance of the Center, there will be a reception and a room for the psychologist, emphasized Krvavac.

The presidents of the two municipal commissions for the status of senior citizens and for improving the quality of healthcare and family medicine, Zora Ostojić and Gjulera Dedović-Halilbegović, expressed their satisfaction that this project, which aims to ensure a dignified old age for senior citizens and enable their psychophysical activity for a longer period, is in its final phase, and they hope that the Center will be operational by the beginning of next year.

Councilor Varja Nikolić, the initiator of the idea to open this Center, said that all their previous experiences from the work of the Center in Novi Sarajevo have been transferred here.

- During the public discussions on the Draft Budget of the Centar Municipality for the next year, we plan to conduct a survey of older citizens to obtain data on what activities they want to engage in at this Center. The idea is to include people from 60 years of age to make it easier for them to cope with retirement, said Nikolić.

The director of the Public Institution 'Family Counseling', Senad Alić, added that this public institution will also launch certain projects with the Center, as is the case with the one in Novi Sarajevo.

As planned, the management of the Center will be taken over by the municipal Service for Labor, Health, and Social Affairs, which is also responsible for procuring furniture for the needs of the Healthy Aging Center, it was announced from the Centar Municipality.