According to data from the Institute of Statistics of Catalonia, there are currently one and a half million people over 65 years of age in Catalonia (19.3%). By 2050, the number is expected to have risen to 2.5 million people (29%). For its part, the Report on the situation of dependency published by the Department of Social Rights of the Generalitat of Catalonia reveals that, during 2023, more than 200,000 dependent people were cared for in the region.
The figures speak for themselves and show two realities: the aging of the population and the social challenge, present and future, that care for the elderly and dependent people represents. “We must place this challenge posed by the aging of the population and longevity as a priority and an emergency. The future sustainability of the current welfare state forces urgent reflection on the future of people's care. The challenge is huge: how to transform the care system to guarantee the quality of life of these people,” says ÀngelsCobo, director of Digital Transformation at Suara, a non-profit social initiative cooperative with more than 40 years of experience in the field. people care sector.
If we refine the figures a little more, Catalonia registers a total of 250,190 people with a recognized degree of dependency, which represents 15.9% of the total in the Spanish state (1,567,107 people). Of them, 201,720 have an Individual Care Program (PIA) resolution, but there are 25,368 applications pending evaluation. And the processing is a slow process.
The waiting period between the degree application and the resolution is 177 days on average. Then, between the degree resolution and the PIA resolution, the wait is 112 days. Even so, the progress in processing times is notable, since these waiting times represent a reduction of 54%, if we compare them with the 333 days that had to be waited in 2021.
Today, there are 12,728 people waiting to access a residence for the elderly and 4,177 people waiting for a day center. None of them are currently admitted to any residence in a public square or in a square with linked financial benefits. They are at home, with all the problems that this entails for dependent people and their caregivers, many of them family members not qualified for professional care. Mostly women, who represent 65% of the total. More than half of them are between 51 and 70 years old.
This socially invisible work is often combined with caring for children (older, but not yet independent) and a professional job. That is why it is not surprising that this group of overwhelmed female caregivers is called: “sandwich women”, since they see themselves overwhelmed, alone and lost in the process of dependence on one of their parents, which is added to that of their children.
In this context, home care services are very necessary, both for dependent people and for families. It is enough to introduce some changes in that person's life and help them with daily tasks so that they can continue living in their house. But how and where can we find that help?
There is a company model specialized in these care services, performed by highly qualified and experienced people. This is the case of Suara Cooperativa, which, during 2022, served 38,900 people throughout Catalonia, mainly in services linked to dependency care, health and the promotion of autonomy.
This non-profit company offers the Personal Home Help Service, a personalized service based on the needs of each family reality, carried out by professionals specialized in the care and attention of the elderly. From home provisioning, meal preparation and accompaniment to the doctor, to control and management of medication guidelines, small cures and personal hygiene and home maintenance, all the services offered guarantee and enhance the autonomy and well-being of the person, increase your quality of life and allow you to live longer at home. And, in this segment of a service for about 9 hours a week, Suara is the best option.
“When the dependent person is cared for, the family feels safer and calmer. And this is very important. Furthermore, when some daily care tasks are “delegated,” time is recovered to dedicate to other actions that are equally or more important to the person: talking, giving affection or doing things together that bring joy,” explains the director of Digital Transformation at Suara. “These types of services are a way of responding to the great demographic and social challenge that we have to face as a society and that must allow us to guarantee a dignified life for 2.5 million older people in Catalonia in 2050,” she explains.
Aliura is an initiative of Suara Cooperativa, promoted by the Social Economy Program of the Department of Business and Labor of the Generalitat de Catalunya, through the Singulars Project and with funding from the Ministerio de Trabajo y Economía Social.
