The Buenavista del Norte City Council has received a grant of 71,429 euros to develop an accompaniment project at home for elderly people who are in a situation of unwanted loneliness. This new project will have a psychologist, a physiotherapist, two social integrators and a social worker.
The main objectives of this initiative are to prevent and support lonely elderly people at home, reinforcing home care. The elderly will also be accompanied in their homes promoting an improvement in the quality of life and directed tasks will be developed to avoid and mitigate situations of unwanted loneliness.
Esteban Lorenzo, Buenavista Social Welfare councilor, affirms that “for municipal social services it is essential to be able to be at the side of those people who are detected or demand company. One of the situations that a large part of the elderly population is facing is unwanted loneliness and it is necessary to put means to try to combat it and favor, in addition to support at home, spaces in which people can meet and share your concerns and hobbies ”.
This new resource will have in its methodology strategies to enhance the cognitive, physical and functional, social or emotional and affective capacities of the elderly and thus prevent or delay situations of dependency, promoting independence and personal autonomy, improving self-esteem and favoring a state adequate psychoaffective. In addition, it will seek to improve the conditions of coexistence of the elderly person in their family environment and carry out actions to improve equality between men and women.
The objectives set will be achieved through visits to the elderly, to encourage them and connect them with the activities carried out from the rest of the centers and services of the municipality, with intergenerational activities and the creation of community ties.
Among the expected results, the Buenavista City Council aims to mitigate situations of unwanted loneliness, improve the physical capacities of the elderly and preserve their cognitive functions. In short, improve the socialization of the group “in this way we will contribute to bring happiness to the life of the group of older people in the municipality” concludes the mayor.
