SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 16 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Department of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children and Families of the Canary Islands Government has reached an agreement with the island councils to establish 781 new residential places across the archipelago, which will be included in the sixth amendments to the cooperation agreement between both administrations.
This agreement aims to offer services to individuals in a state of dependency, particularly those under six years of age, elderly people, or individuals with disabilities. To facilitate this, the Canary Islands Government will provide funding of 193.2 million euros, while the island councils will contribute a total of 76.8 million euros.
Altogether, the Government and councils will dedicate 270 million euros to ensure these new resources are available. This figure signifies an increase of 7 million euros compared to the funding allocated to the fifth amendment of the agreement, which is still in effect. “The administrations in the Canary Islands are united in their efforts, making significant budgetary commitments to tackle one of the most pressing challenges faced by our society: to establish and expand new resources for individuals with various socio-health conditions,” stated the Minister of Social Welfare, Candelaria Delgado.
In addition to the residential placements, the extension of this agreement encompasses an additional 315 daytime places and 490 telecare places. Furthermore, it also includes over 30,000 hours dedicated to promoting personal autonomy and 85,040 hours of home assistance services.
Delgado emphasised the critical nature of preventing the decline of dependent individuals and the necessity of fostering personal autonomy. “We must avert the deterioration of dependency situations and promote the active involvement of individuals within their capabilities.
“Through this approach, we work towards social inclusion, and where possible, the recovery of certain functional skills that may have been lost. This includes activities such as occupational therapy, rehabilitation, skills training, cognitive stimulation, and early intervention,” he remarked.
Concurrently with the endorsement of this sixth amendment, the Government of the Canary Islands is collaborating with the island councils to formulate a new social and health infrastructure plan that addresses the medium-term needs of the population in the Canary Islands.
“It is essential that we accurately assess the needs of our population and do this in detail, considering the diverse circumstances of our islands and municipalities, as well as future demographic shifts. Consequently, it is vital to work closely with island and local organisations, heeding their requests and prioritising the needs of our citizens,” Delgado added.
“We must be able to integrate residential resources with alternative types of support which enable our elderly or dependent individuals to remain in their homes whenever feasible, or that ensure respite for families,” the counsellor concluded.
