Lietuva in brief - 2012-08-09

Only 1 percent of Lithuanians in a poll said they consider themselves atheists, whereas 69 percent say that they are religious while 22 percent claim that they are not religious, reports ELTA. The poll was conducted by WIN/Gallup International Association. According to Inga Nausediene, president of the company RAIT which is a member of the WIN/Gallup International Association, Lithuania is among the countries with a high proportion of the population who consider themselves religious, with almost no atheists. “We do not differ from the world’s average index of people who consider themselves not religious. Twenty-three percent of people across the world say they are not religious, while in Lithuania it is 22 percent. So we are a more religious country. However, in 2005, 75 percent of Lithuanians regarded themselves as religious.” The survey showed that religiousness is higher among poor people. The people with the lowest incomes are by 17 percent more religious than people with the highest incomes. The rate of religiousness is also lower among people with higher education. The latter are by 16 percent less religious than those with secondary education.

Mobile teams that will provide integrated social care and nursing services to patients at home will be created in Lithuanian municipalities from 2013 to 2015, reports ELTA. The initiator of the project is the Lithuanian Ministry of Social Security and Labor. It claims that 21 municipalities are going to participate in the project. The social workers will cooperate together with nursing professionals and their assistants to provide patients in their region with integrated social care and nursing services. The European Social Fund will cover the salaries of the professionals working on the project. It will also fund nursing and technical assistance equipment and the procurement of transport and its operating costs. In addition, the training expenses of mobile team employees will be covered. The improvement of their professional qualifications will also be taken into account. Program funding reaches 20.6 million litas (5.9 million euros).