23 citizens participated at the roundtable (representatives of the Department for Social Activities of the Town Slavonski Brod, CSW, Syndicate of Croatian Pensioners, Croatian Health Insurance Fund (CHIF),  Foundation of Pensioners, and the Association of Pensioners "The Third Age" ) and two media representatives (Posavska Hrvatska and Radio 92fm+). The round table was moderated by ILC Executive Director Natasa Kovacevic who welcomed all present and briefly  introduced ILC’s work and the project that was carried out with  the partners from the CSS and the Associations of Pensioners "The Third Age".

Sanja Turcinovic, a social worker, presented social services and rights that CSW offers to their beneficiaries including compensations and services that can be realized in the social welfare system. She presented some statistical indicators for our local environment. and emphasized that according to statistics from the 2014, total of 99 people over 65 years were placed in an institution or foster families (9 singles in the retirement homes, 10 in family homes, and 80 in the institution). 129 people are placed under the guardianship (68 in the old people's home). Furthermore, 500 people receive a reduced benefit in the amount of 350,00 HRK, and 409 receive the full amount 500,00 HRK. 276 older persons receive personal disability pay. Home help service was used by 20 people in the city area and 42 in the municipality area. 28 people in the city area used the right to delivery of meals (funded by the city) and the soup kitchen provided meals for 16 more people.

Tajana Valic, a social worker, pointed out that the home help social service has been extensively developed last year, and that it is available in all areas of the city and county. It is used by 140 beneficiaries (80 persons used the combined service of cleaning and meal delivery). She explained that in practice this service includes a gerontology nursing or meals arrangements, and that this number will continually increase. In order for the Ministry of Social Policy and Youth to approve this service, beneficiary's income can not exceed the amount of 1,500.00 HRK or 2,000.00 HRK, and they can not have signed the lifelong support contracts and contracts for support until death.

Ruzica Galista, a social worker, informed the participants of the round table that there are about 140 users processed by the team for foster care and that they are currently accommodated in the old people's home. There are 13 old people’s homes in the area of Slavonski Brod, but not all of them are in the social welfare system. Beneficiaries can be situated in only four of them. 120 people are situated into the old people's home. Accommodation  is paid by the beneficiary if he/she has sufficient funds, and if not, the difference is paid by the MSPY. In this case, if the beneficiary is a co-owner or owner of the property, notification of the property is required because after beneficiary's death, their heirs are obliged to reimburse given subsidy for accommodation to the MSPY.

Kata Jira, social educator of the Administrative Department of Social Services of the Slavonski Brod City, informed the participants about the city activities in relation to care for the elderly citizens. She presented the social program of the city through which the city helps to cover the cost of housing and the cost of firewood to some of the minimum guaranteed compensation beneficiaries. One of most important assistance is the right to a subsidy for the public transport that is used by 1,400 persons. Depending on available funds, the city awards a symbolic Christmas bonuses to the most vulnerable beneficiaries. 783 pensioners have a pension less than HRK 1,500.00.Those who have a pension up to 500.00 HRK receive vouchers from 200.00 or 300.00 HRK. The city has also introduced the exemption from payment of  municipality fees, which is used by approximately 1,000 persons. Besides that, the city provided premises for the soup kitchen, which began work on J July 2014. The town Slavonski Brod bears the cost of meals in the soup kitchen for 54 beneficiaries and Caritas delivers 20 meals to beneficiaries.

In addition the City tries to cover the most vulnerable beneficiaries (about 200) so they deliver packages to their home addresses. Through its municipal company City settles basic funeral costs to the beneficiaries who have a lower pension or whose  children are social welfare beneficiaries.

Natasa Kovacevic then gave the word to Pero Katalinić from the Foundation of Pensioners. She excused the president and secretary of the Association of Pensioners "The Third Age" for not being able to come, but five members of their association attended the round table.

Mr. Katalinic said the Foundation of Pensioners is one of the few associations which has  the infrastructure - the retirement home and the seaside resort. Their  day care program brings together at least 150 people every day. He announced that due to Foundation's financial issues they are no longer able to pay heating costs and they will be forced to close their premises over the winter. That will badly affect their members with small pensions who come over to the common areas because of the heating. Furthermore, Mr. Katalinić stressed the need to build another old people's home in our town because due to small pensions they cannot afford private ones.

A representative of the Pensioner's Union stated that parties did not include pensioners in their programs, and that  young people are leaving abroad so the Pension Fund cannot count on them. There is approx. 19 billion HRK less each year in the fund. Less than 12,500.00 pensioners have a pension less than 2,500.00 HRK. When a person stays alone then he/she becomes a social case. He emphasized that the CSW will have increasing problems because of that. Namely, families with many children cannot help their parents even though they are required to do so by the law.

Jasna Matković, Head of the CHIF Regional Office Slav. Brod thanked the ILC for the invitation to the round table and referred all those present to address issues related to the health insurance to their service.

At the end of the roundtable ILC executive director thanked all participants for their active participation, and project partners for the successful cooperation. Regardless the completion of the project,  the main applicant and our partners have confirmed that we will continue to share information and will apply to the tenders so as to ensure indispensable financial means for solving our elderly citizens' issues at the local level.