The Silver T service hours have been extended with the aim of giving seniors more flexibility and better access to transportation, so that they can carry out their community service more independently.
This was announced during a press conference addressed by the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Active Ageing, Deo Debattista in the presence of Permanent Secretary Renzo Degabriele, the Chief Executive of Active Ageing and Community Care Steve Agius, and the representative of the Silver T service, Yaser Teebi.
The extension of the Silver T service hours is a promise of the Int Malta manifesto that is being fulfilled in the first hundred days of this Government. This measure continues to strengthen the Government’s commitment towards a more active, independent and dignified elderly.
The Silver T service provides free transport to people over the age of sixty who require assistance to carry out their community duties. Through it, seniors can go to places such as the bank, market, supermarket, health centres and Local Councils, among others, without having to constantly rely on their family or friends.
This service is now operating from Monday to Friday from 7.00 am to 4.30 pm, instead of until 2.00 pm. The service is also operating on Saturday mornings, in order to offer more options and flexibility to the elderly who make use of it.
From the beginning of this year until the end of June, more than 33,000 journeys were made through the Silver T service, while around a thousand people use the service every month. Since its launch in 2019, the service has continued to grow and is now available on a national level, both in Malta and Gozo.
Parliamentary Secretary Deo Debattista said that the extension of the hours is part of a political vision that places the independence, dignity and participation of the elderly at the centre of the Government’s decisions. “For this Government, active ageing is not simply a slogan, but a policy that we are translating into concrete services that make a difference in people’s daily lives. Our services must adapt to the lives and needs of the elderly, not the elderly having to adapt to the services,” said the Parliamentary Secretary.
He added that behind every journey there is a person who was able to attend an appointment, carry out their duties or remain active in the community, as well as a family who had the peace of mind that their relative was able to get where they needed to be safely.
Permanent Secretary Renzo Degabriele stated that this extension reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to continue investing in more accessible, flexible and person-centred community services.
Active Ageing and Community Care Chief Executive Steve Agius explained that the extension of hours will allow the service to better respond to the needs of the elderly and offer them more choice when it comes to planning their appointments and services.
The service must be booked at least three days prior to the day on which the transport is required. More information about Silver T and other services offered by Active Ageing and Community Care is available from the agency’s information services and from the website aacc.gov.mt
