Thanks to a nominated subsidy of 215,353 euros from the Department of Social Welfare of the Cabildo of Lanzarote to the Association of Relatives of Alzheimer's Patients and other Dementias of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura (AFA), the island "with the first public therapeutic pools for the treatment and hydrotherapy activity of people who require it", according to the institution. The project also has the co-financing of the Government of the Canary Islands and the association itself that manages the family respite residence for Alzheimer's patients and the day center where these two pools are located, on the Las Cabreras estate.
The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés (CC), and the Minister of Social Welfare, Maite Corujo (PP), visited the works of the pools together with the president of AFA, Manuel Ruíz, which will be put into service "shortly", once some small interventions that are pending completion in the wooden kiosk that will cover them are finished.
"It is a satisfaction to see how this project of the first public therapeutic pools for the island will soon become a reality, thanks to the impulse given to the project by the AFA Association, the group that manages this residence and day center space, to respond and serve not only the environment of the 100 users of this residence for Alzheimer's patients and family respite, but also other groups and people on the island who need to have a therapeutic resource like this", said Pedro San Ginés, who was pleased that these pools will come into operation, "after almost a dozen years that the initiated works of the pools were left unexecuted (only the pools were executed)".
In addition to executing the project of rehabilitation and conditioning of the pools, one larger of about 67 square meters and another of 26.8, the access areas and changing rooms have been conditioned, as well as the necessary therapeutic material to develop hydrotherapy activities in them. The facilities, according to the Cabildo, "are fully accessible and all materials and electrical, maintenance and air conditioning systems guarantee adequate environmental protection". Among others, they are equipped with air conditioning and maintenance systems "with the most efficient and sustainable technology on the market (with energy rating A").
Avoids travel to private centers
The president of the Cabildo recalled that this project is added to that of Adislan, which currently provides coverage to the users of this association of disabled people of Lanzarote, with which the Cabildo also collaborated in its financing together with the Rotarians of the island.
The Minister of Social Welfare of the Institution, Maite Corujo, has also expressed her satisfaction that "the works can be completed shortly so that both AFA users and other groups and people with special needs can benefit from the therapies and activities that can be carried out in both the larger and smaller pool and also highlighted the work done on accessibility and rehabilitation of the changing rooms and accesses that will cover this new therapeutic area".
For his part, the president of AFA, Manuel Ruíz, was pleased that "very soon this project will materialize to provide coverage to patients with Alzheimer's and other dementias of AFA, without having to travel to other private centers, as well as that this new social and health resource can benefit other groups in Lanzarote, older people in general (through Active Aging programs) and other groups with special needs". And, as he explained, he has been developing this therapeutic activity in the pool for about seven years, moving users and people from the group to other pools located in tourist complexes in the private sector.