The City Council of San Miguel de Abona deems it imperative to construct a nursing home of “considerable size” within the municipality without any delay. In this regard, they are offering a municipal plot measuring 7,151 square meters in the Amarilla Golf urbanization to the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo of Tenerife, as stated by the mayor, Arturo González, during an interview with this journal.
Council officials have already dispatched correspondences to both public administrations and are eager to arrange a meeting at the earliest convenience to hasten a project described as “much needed” for a growing segment of the population seeking this service due to family circumstances or situations of dependency, loneliness, or isolation.
“Our goal is to construct a large nursing home with over 100 beds, aiming to have it completed and operating within three years,” the San Miguel mayor informed DIARIO DE AVISOS, expressing his hope for the project to be favourably received by the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo.
Nonetheless, the city council is contemplating an alternative plan to progress with the nursing home: a land concession scheme for a private firm to develop and oversee the project for a specified duration, similar to setups in various facilities across the mainland. Several companies with expertise in this sector have already displayed interest in this proposal.
The mayor highlighted the advantageous setting of the location in Amarilla Golf, particularly in an area frequented by motorhomes. “It’s an ideal spot, boasting a delightful climate and in close proximity to the sea, approximately 100 meters from the coastal promenade, within the tourist district,” he elaborated.
In the letters addressed to the Government of the Canary Islands, the San Miguel de Abona City Council underscores that the southern municipality is home to 22,606 residents (as per the data from the National Statistics Institute of 2023), out of which 2,698 are aged 65 and above. This demographic has noticeably expanded – in contrast to the declining birth rate – owing to enhanced social conditions and particularly advancements in healthcare, influencing longevity.
“This surge poses fresh challenges for social policies geared towards safeguarding the elderly, as individuals over 65 are linked with increasing vulnerability and seclusion, unlike other age groups,” noted the municipal council from the southern region.
Furthermore, they emphasised that “a repercussion of this progressive ageing is the formulation of strategies to establish resources that offer personal care services to older individuals, particularly social support within care institutions.”
Moreover, the San Miguel City Council accentuated the impediments in accessing public facilities and highlighted that in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, private facilities account for 51.5% of establishments compared to 48.5% of public facilities.
