Lope Afonso announced, during the State of the Island debate, that the Tenerife Island Council will launch the first Comprehensive Seniors Plan in Tenerife this summer, highlighting “the intense work of the Social Services area, led by Águeda Fumero, to make this work strategy a reality.”
The Plan, aimed at this important sector of the population, stems from a participatory process involving over 1,700 individuals from the 31 municipalities of Tenerife, including seniors, municipal staff, specialists of all kinds, and entities working specifically in this population sector.
Afonso described this matter as “a fundamental milestone for this government, which takes back the responsibility of providing services to the seniors of the island, in this case, in a comprehensive manner, not limited to leisure and free time.”
During his speech, Lope Afonso stated, “we have shown that we can manage based on principles, without giving up on dialogue and seeking consensus, restoring to the Island Council the guiding and social cohesion role it deserves.”
The Vice President claimed in his address that “this year, politics has become a useful tool to activate Tenerife,” adding that “we will continue working during this term with seriousness and rigour, keeping in mind that Tenerife and its people come first.”
The Leadership of the Island Council
Regarding productive sectors, Lope Afonso stated that “the leadership role that the Island Council must play is beginning to be reflected in the transversal policy we are promoting, positioning sports and culture as genuine elements of social cohesion, but also with the goal of diversifying the economy in the various areas we manage, such as Commerce and Business Support or, for the first time in the history of this Council, the specific Industry department, which will inject 6 million Euros into the Tenerife economy this year, alongside the launch of the insular strategic projects management, designed to channel the transformative projects that Tenerife needs to achieve the sustainable growth we aspire to.”
Afonso made a special reference to “the serious drought situation the island is facing,” highlighting that “the primary sector is working to ensure water for irrigation as an essential good, in a climate crisis context,” affirming that “we have also bravely tackled the structural issues faced by the citizens, like access to housing, making available to the people of Tenerife 229 social rental houses in less than a year.”
Lope Afonso concluded that “we will continue to exercise, from this institution, a policy that is far from stridency, based on common sense, and articulated with responsibility and commitment.”
Lope Afonso and Águeda Fumero chaired the presentation of the conclusions of the participatory process on the 24th, which will lead to the development of the First Comprehensive Seniors Plan in Tenerife, defining the action lines of a specific strategy for the population over 65 years old, until 2027.
The main lines of action that will focus the work axes in the Plan will include issues such as personal independence and autonomy, with a special focus on universal accessibility, improving and expanding the service portfolio (especially residential centres and resources), highlighting the role of caregivers in dependent situations, developing a comprehensive and specialised proposal of services and aids by simplifying administrative procedures, providing transport services to ensure greater autonomy, promoting public policies that allow seniors to stay in their homes, and addressing basic health needs.
