In cooperation with the association Val from the island of Lastovo, Ombudswoman Tena \u0160imonovi\u0107 Einwalter held a lecture on 28 May 2026 for older persons living on the island, with the aim of empowering them through access to information, a better understanding of their rights, and support in making everyday life easier.<\/p>\n
Ombudswoman \u0160imonovi\u0107 Einwalter briefly presented the mandates and work of the institution of the Ombudswoman, as well as the most common reasons and problems for which citizens contact the institution. She also highlighted some of the long-standing problems faced by citizens in Croatia, such as the lack of clear information, failure to respond, administrative silence, lengthy proceedings, and inappropriate communication. These issues lead to a sense of powerlessness among citizens when dealing with the system, while the shifting of responsibility between institutions and insufficiently transparent and participatory processes contribute to growing distrust in institutions.<\/p>\n
The Ombudswoman also added that the approach of public authorities is too often not based on human rights, which means that some individuals or groups, such as older persons, are frequently neglected. At the same time, regional differences between cities and rural areas and islands significantly affect the exercise of many rights. She also referred to the chronic shortage of staff in demanding jobs in parts of the public sector, including work in health centres, hospitals, homes for older and infirm persons, regional offices of the Croatian Social Welfare Institute, psychiatric institutions, the police and the prison system. This results in the most vulnerable persons not receiving the necessary care, support or treatment, or in citizens waiting a long time for a response, action or assistance, while existing staff in the system are overburdened.<\/p>\n
Speaking about older persons, the Ombudswoman emphasised that dignity in old age is the right of every person, not a privilege of a few. She also pointed to problems in the exercise of the rights of older persons, including ageism and age-based discrimination faced by many older persons, poverty among older persons, which is unfortunately on the rise, challenges in exercising pension rights, and the problem of violence against older persons.<\/p>\n
Significant problems are also related to homes for older persons, the exercise of the right to health, especially in the context of palliative care, care for persons living with dementia, abuses of maintenance contracts, and the growing impact of new technologies on older persons.<\/p>\n
In conversation with the Ombudswoman, residents of the island of Lastovo also pointed to some specific problems, including the loss of hospital appointments due to difficulties with transport from the island, priority being given to tourist travel over the needs of Lastovo residents, the lack of health and social services on the island, such as community nursing, physical therapy and continuous professional support, as well as generally unequal access to health, social and other public services compared with persons living on the mainland.<\/p>\n