The Cabildo of Lanzarote celebrated this Saturday at the Farmer's Monument a recognition of the elderly of Lanzarote on the occasion of their International Day, which is commemorated every year on October 1 to highlight the demographic change that the world's population is undergoing and the need to create new policies and programs that benefit the elderly.
More than 700 seniors attended the event organized by the Senior Area of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, together with the Senior Councilors of the seven municipalities, and which began with the reading of the poem about old age by José
Saramago, in the voice of Mari Carmen Dorta and Ricardo Flores; and continued with the intervention of Juana Hernández García from Arrecife who, representing the elderly of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, conveyed a vindictive message to society and public administrations: "We want to tell you that we are alive, that we are still important, because a person who has worked, fought and contributed for so many years of his life to this society, cannot stop doing so when reaching a certain age, we are the ones who have built and turned this island into a benchmark in the Canary Islands."
"I am proud to be born and live in this land, so together we will ensure that Lanzarote and La Graciosa are more inclusive with the elderly," concluded Juana Hernández after listing the demands and rights of the group: active aging, health and leisure programs; more socio-health resources such as day centers and residences; that waiting lists in public health are reduced; more programs to combat unwanted loneliness; decent pensions; more home help services, as well as aid to improve the conditions and accessibility of homes, among other requests for care and attention.
In this sense, the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, committed to all seniors to comply with the objectives set through the new department created by the current Government group, the
Senior and Intergenerational Relations Area, which was created precisely to address the consequences of the aging of the population in the coming decades, and to implement a policy of proximity, inclusive and accessible for the nearly 18,000 people over 65 years of age in Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
"There are many problems that unite us and we have to have a broad vision so that, regardless of the ideology and political feeling of each one, we all go together," said Betancort during the event. "The administrations must be better prepared to care for their elders, so I ask you to help us build a more supportive, participatory society that respects good values, while we work on investment, both in
infrastructure and in the management of resources to generate the social welfare they deserve," concluded the president.
"Taking care of our greatest treasure"
The councilor of the area, Nori Machín, announced the new Island Active Aging Plan that is being designed under the slogan "Taking care of our greatest treasure", which will include physical activity in outdoor spaces (gyms in the sun and
healthy trails), health and nutrition recommendations, with training with cognitive, technological, nutrition and cooking workshops, as well as emotional support, promote relationships between different generations, promote accessibility and housing, and leisure, culture and tourism, offering the elderly of Lanzarote and La Graciosa the same opportunities for Imserso trips as the capital islands.
"We will form the Island Council of the Elderly, which will be the highest representative body, where the island associations of the elderly will be able to have a voice to discuss all matters related to the elderly," explained Nori Machín in her speech. "We are also working to turn the island into an Age-Friendly City; we will also create the Island Office of the Elderly, a space to listen, help the elderly, associations, entities, provide assistance and information and we will launch a line of subsidies for associations to alleviate the expenses of the association, as well as the creation of an Elderly Card so that we can offer the elderly a series of advantages and discounts on purchases and services," she added. All this will be done from the Cabildo of Lanzarote together with the elderly and the seven municipalities.
The honored elders
The first island meeting held on the occasion of the International Day of the Elderly was presented by Francisco José Navarro and musically enlivened by the warm voice of Sara Bermúdez, accompanied by Cielo Guzmán on the piano, with classic themes such as 'Contigo aprendí', a saranda al vino and a folía created specifically for the event in honor of the elderly as the essence of legends, knowledge and experience. And as a final culmination, the Majalula band performed.
The performances surrounded a heartwarming event in which elders from all the municipalities and the island of La Graciosa were honored, such as Antonio Gutiérrez Reyes (94 Years), from the municipality of Yaiza; María Hiniesta Távora
Triano (92 Years), from Arrecife; Caridad Cejas Machín (86 Years), from Tías; Francisco Cedrés Pérez (84 Years), from Haría; Josefina Olivero Guillén (82 Years), from Tinajo; Gregorio Betancort Curbelo (78 Years), from La Isla De La Graciosa; María Esther Barrios Tejera (74 Years), from Teguise, and Margarita Machín Rocío (74 Years), from San Bartolomé. All of them received a gift from the different municipal representatives.
