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1. WHAT KIND OF LIVING FACILITIES ARE THERE FOR 'SENIORS' IN SPAIN?

More than 80% of homes in Spain are owned by the occupiers. The percentage of home ownership is higher only in Ireland and Greece, within the European Union. Holland is the country with the lowest percentage of home ownership (40%). We understand that we are halfway along the road from the utter helplessness of 50 years ago, just after the war, and a protection, which is efficient, general, and realistic.

We may say, however, that apart from the large number of permanent private residences, in Spain there is ample provision of:

1. permanent private residences,
2. protected homes, for the most part in public ownership, and
3. temporary residences, also for the most part in public ownership.

Under another classification we may say that, when looking at homes for senior citizens other than their own private homes, there are various types:

1. public institutional residences,
2. private residences run for profit (by companies, limited societies, and social cooperatives,
3. residences run by religious institutions, and
4. aged persons residences, both public and private.

As well as these options there are:

1. shared homes( self-owned homes with house care);
2. family refuges (for temporary stays, with permanent volunteers).

These options permit senior citizens to pay low rents, and to continue to live in their own homes thanks to some type of support or exchange. However, there are very few of these types of residences available; therefore, there is a great amount of hidden assistance.

We do not have figures for the national average. The above information is for the Madrid community, estimating that the northern part of Spain will have about 15% more, and the southern part about 8% more.

Based on information from IMSERSO, about 3% of Spaniards more than 65 years old live in residences, and in the province of Granada, based on data published by the local savings bank in its occasional series on Economics, there are 52 centres for senior citizens and 2.366 places in residences earmarked for senior citizens. The city of Granada has 12 residences (see images).

Spaniards have the following rights:

1. to information and participation in public residences
2. to privacy of the person and his/her private data.
3. to consider the residence as a personal home.
4. to the continuation of the provision of service support as established in the contract , without prejudice to the legal clauses regarding the price (IPC).
5. to the protection of the public administration.
6. not to be discriminated against.

As well, provided one has the appropriate prerequisites, each person has the right either to enter a public residence paying from their own funds or to receive help from the administration to achieve this.

 

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