2023-06-22 05:00:00
Sandrine Oak
Deputy Editor-in-Chief
22.06.2023 – 05h0022.06.2023 – 07h14
From 9,000 in 2021 to 14,000 hours in 2022: the caregiver assistance service of the Valais Red Cross saw requests explode last year.
A record year for the Valais Red Cross. The latter held its general meeting on Wednesday evening in Naters in Haut-Valais.
In its activity report, it highlights in particular a sharp increase (+47%) in home respite services for caregivers. The institution explains this success by the service contract which was concluded with the State of Valais. This has allowed families who use this service to replace them for a few hours at the bedside of a dependent person to see their bills drop very significantly. At the same time, the service – initially limited to Valais Romand – was extended to Haut-Valais.
“There is the desire to keep people at home as much as possible, for reasons of cost but also of comfort and the will of people”
Isabelle Darbellay Métrailler, director of the Valais Red Cross
For the time being, the Red Cross can cope with this increase in requests. Director Isabelle Darbellay Métrailler:
Adapt operation to demands
For the future, on the other hand, the Red Cross will begin a reflection to try to best meet the needs. At present, a team of around thirty care auxiliaries and volunteers take turns at home with dependent people. We will probably have to hire more staff, underlines Isabelle Darbellay Métrailler.
Home childcare is also enjoying undeniable success, since more than a thousand requests were registered last year, especially in central Valais. For the current year, director Isabelle Darbellay-Métrailler therefore wants to continue developing these services. But to do so, she faces a challenge: always find enough money to allow the association to run.
At present, the Valais Red Cross employs around forty permanent staff and can count on 200 volunteers.
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