Being a good neighbour – about supporting older people in the context of neighbourhood services

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present the idea of neighbourhood services, which were introduced into the catalog of benefits of the social assistance system under the amendment to the Social Assistance Act at the end of July 2023. Their implementation is possible from November 1, 2023. Neighbourhood services should be understood as support provided to lonely people who, due to age, illness, or other reasons, require the help of other people and for whom their immediate family is unable to provide this support. The services may include assistance in meeting basic living needs, hygiene and nursing care that does not require specialized knowledge and competences and ensuring contacts with other people. Support is provided by people living in the neighbourhood of the person in need. The work of caregivers-neighbours is rewarded in cash by the commune, whose council specifies in a resolution the detailed conditions for granting these services, their size and scope, and the method of settling their performance. The article presents the idea of neighbourhood support in theory and practice, as well as legal provisions regarding neighbourhood services in accordance with the Social Assistance Act. The last part of the text is devoted to good practices in the field of services and neighbourhood care in Poland and USA.