SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 9 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister of Social Welfare, Equality, Children and Families, Candelaria Delgado, announced today at the parliamentary headquarters that the waiting time for a recognition of dependency status has been reduced by 271 days, decreasing from 847 days in the previous legislature to 576.
“This is not a source of joy but it demonstrates that we are progressing in the right direction. We are striving to resolve, within the legally established timeframe, the grade resolutions, the Individual Care Plan and benefits, but we have only been in office for a year,” stated Candelaria Delgado.
The minister commended all the personnel of the General Directorate of Dependency and the entire Department “because, due to their dedication and determination, the work is accomplished, the files are processed and the benefits are disbursed, as confirmed by the official data published every month by Imserso.”
According to the minister, the Canary Islands handled a total of 72,563 applications in 2023, of which 56,213 were resolved, resulting in the recognition of 49,605 individuals entitled to receive assistance, “which signifies a notable advancement in the system’s response capability.”
Additionally, he noted that in the past year, the number of individuals who, despite having the recognised right to receive assistance, are still not receiving services has decreased by 14.5%, and care in the family environment has surged by over 18,800 individuals, “indicating that this type of benefit is being promoted, which is vital for those who prefer to receive care at home rather than in institutions.”
Furthermore, he pointed out that in 2023, the Government of the Canary Islands increased the funding allocated to dependency care, allowing for an expansion in the number of beneficiaries served and enhancement of the conditions of provided services, alongside an expanded access to prevention programmes and promotion of personal autonomy, with over 2,300 individuals benefiting from these provisions.
These efforts in the realm of support for dependent individuals contribute to the downward trend in the number of people awaiting benefits, “which demonstrates a more efficient processing of applications and resource allocation,” emphasised Candelaria Delgado.
He also highlighted that telecare and home assistance services have seen an increase, enabling the Canary Islands to become, in the last year, the second autonomous community with the most significant rise in home assistance services, with a 7.7% increase.
MORE PLACES IN CENTRES.
In his address, Delgado elaborated that the Canary Islands have encouraged diversification in benefits, expanding support for dependent individuals, especially in family environment care, with 18,829 beneficiaries in 2023.
Moreover, he indicated that 14,817 individuals received benefits linked to specialised services, such as day centres or support in residences, “which signifies an increase in the variety of services offered.”
An increase in the availability of spaces in residential and day centres has improved access to these types of services for dependent individuals requiring specialised care.
In this connection, the minister also announced progress at the parliamentary headquarters regarding the agreements established with the island councils for the provision of services to individuals in a dependent situation, noting that the competent general directorate is currently negotiating a new cooperation agreement between the Canarian Executive and the island administrations for the provision of services to individuals in situations of dependency and, more broadly, to those under six years of age, the elderly, or with disabilities, with a validity period set for 2025-2028.
