Alex Trelinski
ALICANTE PROVINCE has the lowest number of nursing home places in mainland Spain according to the Network Ageing Laboratory from the Higher Centre for Scientific Research(CSIC).
The World Health Organisation recommends that residential places cover 5% of the population aged over 65.
Spain’s national average is 4.2% amidst an ageing population but based on September 2022 figures, the CSIC says the Alicante province average is just 2.3%.
Only Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas, and Ceuta have lower ratios.
The CSIC report says that there are 9,118 nursing homes places available for the Alicante province population of 1,901,594, of which 20.5%- 390,329 people- are over 65 years of age.
An Alicante woman, Sonia, told the Informacion newspaper that she ‘couldn’t find a home that suited our needs’ and that her mother died a few months later.
The Business Association of Residences and Services for Dependent People of the Valencian Community (Aerte) says the problem over so few spaces is down to the ‘paralysis’ in new homes being built, both in the public and private sector.
Aerte president, Jose Maria Toro, said: “It’s been years since new nursing homes have been opened in the province.”
He pointed blame at the previous left-wing regional government for low investment and said he regarded as positive President Carlos Mazon’s commitment to bring in more investment and to unravel bureaucratic hurdles
“The population is ageing but the ratio is going down which means the numbers don’t add up as the deficit rises,“ added Maria Toro.
The average monthly price of a place in a private nursing home in Spain is €1,989.92, according to figures from the 2023 inforesidencias.com report on private nursing home prices.
Alicante province is just above the national average at €2,041.56 per month.
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