Establishment and Operation of the first Elders’ Care Institution in Albania Cover Image

Създаване и функциониране на първата институция за грижи за възрастни хора в Албания
Establishment and Operation of the first Elders’ Care Institution in Albania

Author(s): Inxhi Brisku
Subject(s): History, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Customs / Folklore, Ethnohistory, Local History / Microhistory, Oral history, Social history, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Culture and social structure , Family and social welfare, Gerontology, Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Identity of Collectives
Published by: Институт за етнология и фолклористика с Етнографски музей при БАН
Keywords: Albanian state; family; elders’ social care; first elders’ care institution

Summary/Abstract: This article analyses the efforts for establishing and operating the first elders’ care institutionsin Albania during the monarchical regime of Ahmet Zogu and the fascist occupation. Based on archival documents, a detailed description is given of the Albanian authorities' efforts to found a care institution for the elderly, of the taxes collected for this purpose, of the negotiations between the central and the local institutions during the process, of the justifications encouraging the payments of those taxes made by the state representatives. In addition, a comparative analysis is offered of the main dimensions of social care with the social care conceptualized and provided by the Albanian state. The concept of social care is broader than that only for the elderly, but in this article, only social care for the elderly is considered. The basic concept of the Albanian state is that the main provider of elders’ social care is the family. Only a few individuals, who do not have families or stable incomes, should be taken care of by the state institutions and their care would be paid through special taxes.

  • Issue Year: 2023
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 66-82
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: English