Olaines Municipality Support for People with Disabilities

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed worldwide every year on 3 December to draw public attention to the daily lives of people with disabilities, highlight the most important problems and seek possible solutions, discuss their rights, reduce exclusion, and promote the social inclusion of people with special needs.

We invite people to be open and supportive of these people in everyday life—to be understanding and kind, offer a smile and, when necessary, provide practical assistance as well.

 

Olaines Municipality support for people with disabilities

Property tax relief – 90% of the calculated amount (for non-working persons with disability Groups I and II; for persons whose declared place of residence is shared with a child with a disability or a non-working person with a Group I or II disability who is a descendant or ascendant of that person or their spouse).

Assistant services provided by the municipality – this service is intended for people with disabilities who need support when moving outside their home, which they cannot do independently due to functional limitations, in order to reach a place where they study, work or receive services (e.g. a workplace, day centre, polyclinic, government institutions, etc.), as well as to participate in various public activities. The service may be received by: adults with a Group I or II disability, based on an opinion from the State Medical Commission for the Assessment of Health and Working Ability (VDEĀVK) confirming the need for an assistant service; children aged 5 to 18 with disabilities, based on a VDEĀVK opinion confirming the need for special care due to severe functional impairments.

Discount at the Olaine swimming pool for adults with Group I and II disabilities. The admission fee is EUR 1.

Discount for visits to the Olaine ice rink – the admission fee for adults with Group I and II disabilities is EUR 0.50.

At the Olaine Social Care Centre, the Social Service provides institutional care for people with Group I and II disabilities and people of pensionable age.

A transport allowance of up to EUR 40 per calendar year is granted to a person if they have not been granted a state allowance to compensate for transport expenses and are an adult with a disability from a poor or low-income family.

The municipality is implementing the European Union Structural Funds project “Development of Social Services Infrastructure in Olaine Municipality”, within which a day-care centre for persons with mental development disorders and a social rehabilitation service centre are planned to be established at 6b Zeiferta Street, Olaine. Parents with children with functional impairments will be able to receive the services of an occupational therapist, audiologopedist, speech therapist, art therapist, music therapist, Montessori teacher and psychologist there; these specialists will receive clients in the afternoons and evenings. The design of the new building, in which the aforementioned services will be provided, will be completed by the end of 2020, and construction work is planned to begin in the first quarter of 2021.

The Olaine Social Service provides transport and wheelchair-lift services to persons who, due to their health condition, cannot use public transport and whose journey is related to one of the following purposes: receiving healthcare services; receiving legal services; carrying out activities at state or municipal institutions.

The day-care centre for persons with mental development disorders provides services to persons aged 16 and over with Group I or II disabilities and mental disorders who do not attend special education institutions, vocational training or professional rehabilitation centres and are not employed full-time.

Day centre:

ensures that the person stays at the Day Centre for a full working day or in accordance with the concluded agreement;

provides meals in accordance with the concluded agreement;

promotes the acquisition of self-care and communication skills;

promotes understanding of the possibilities for using the system of services needed in everyday life and participating in community life;

promotes the preservation, development and improvement of intellectual abilities;

provides understandable information about processes taking place in society;

provides persons and their families with support in solving problems;

establishes and maintains contact with the person’s family members;

provides the person’s legal representative with information about changes in the person’s state of health.

 

Support through non-governmental organisations in Olaine Municipality (the association “Citāds Es” and the Olaine branch of the Latvian Association of Women with Disabilities “Aspazija”). 

To the extent possible, the municipality endeavours to ensure environmental accessibility for people with mobility impairments.

 

Support for a child with a disability

A benefit of EUR 360 per month during the summer period (June, July and August) is granted to a family for a child with a disability if all of the following conditions apply: the child with a disability has been determined to have medical indications for the need for special care due to severe functional impairments; the child with a disability is a school pupil (from Grade 1 onwards); the child’s parents are in paid employment, except where one of the child’s parents provides only an assistant service in the municipality and does not perform any other paid work.

The benefit is granted for one month if both parents care for the child with a disability; if one parent cares for the child with a disability, the benefit is granted for two months.

A benefit of up to EUR 250 per calendar year for medical treatment, rehabilitation, prescription medical supplies and prescription medicines is granted to a family for a child with a disability, based on documents confirming the expenses.

A benefit of up to EUR 60 per calendar year for camp accommodation expenses is granted to a family for a child with a disability who has not been determined to have medical indications for the need for special care due to severe functional impairments.

A child with a disability and their companion may visit the swimming pool free of charge upon presenting the relevant document.

Public skating at the Olaine ice rink is free of charge for children with disabilities accompanied by a companion.

The municipality fully covers the transport expenses of children declared in Olaine Municipality who attend special education institutions (for medical reasons), related to travel during the school year from their place of residence to the educational institution and back.

Special education programmes are offered at schools in Olaine Municipality. The “Ābelīte” Olaine preschool education institution offers preschool education for children with special needs.

Within the framework of the project “Deinstitutionalisation (DI) and Social Services for Persons with Disabilities and Children”, a care service is provided to children with disabilities and their legal representatives for children with severe functional impairments. In accordance with an individual social care and rehabilitation plan, in 2020 children with functional impairments were provided, within the DI project, with physiotherapy sessions, occupational therapy sessions, music therapy sessions, hippotherapy sessions, Montessori sessions and speech therapy sessions. The legal representatives (parents and guardians) of children with disabilities were provided with physiotherapy (massage) sessions.