SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct. 2 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Cabildo of Tenerife, through the Social Action Area, has launched a new specialized resource, with 14 places, to care for older people with a psychogeriatric profile in Tierra de Oro, in the municipality of Los Realejos, becoming the first resource in the northern area of these characteristics.
The councilor of the area, Águeda Fumero, pointed out that “with this new resource, we confirm the commitment of this island government with the objective of minimizing the dramatic waiting list that Tenerife has in the field of social and health resources.”
These new places are put into operation through an agreement with APEDECA (Association to Help Dependent Persons of the Canary Islands), providing service to elderly adults with mental or behavioral disorders.
This is a resource financed under the framework of the cooperation agreement between the public administration of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo of Tenerife for the provision of services to people in a situation of dependency, and involves an investment of 772,018.80 euros.
The need for a Psychogeriatric Unit “is justified by the increase in life expectancy in the general population and the development of dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders associated with this aging of the population.”
Regarding this, the counselor explained that “until now, there were only places of this type in the metropolitan area of the island, but the increase in demand makes it necessary for us to plan new places that respond to social needs,” to which she added that “it is also extremely important to bring resources closer to the different areas of the island, to avoid long trips for family members.”
Fumero also announced that the Council “is working on developing a Comprehensive Care Program for the Elderly, from a global perspective, placing special emphasis on those issues that affect the vulnerability of the elderly.”
The Minister of Social Action indicated, during the celebration of Elderly Day, that “this program will contain aspects related to leisure, the promotion of active aging, as well as initiatives that ensure that the elderly receive the care they require based on their circumstances.” “.
Fumero assured that “our concern is to provide effective solutions to the needs of the elderly as a very vulnerable social group, and keeping in mind that our society is characterized by having an increasingly aging population.”
Águeda Fumero also stressed that “the work we propose for this mandate has as a fundamental tool the making available of all the resources that are necessary, as well as the coordinated work between the Cabildo and the City Councils of the island, because our objective is “Work hand in hand with the administrations that are closest to the citizens to prioritize services, channeling the demands and needs of the elderly through the City Councils, under the protection of the Cabildo as an island administration.”
