Lanzarote will have a total of 180 new social and health places for the care of the elderly once the construction of the future Social and Health Center for the Elderly and Day Center of Tahíche is completed, in whose construction a total of 19 million euros will be invested. This was highlighted this Tuesday by the President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, during the laying of the first stone of these works, in which he was accompanied by the Minister of Social Rights, Equality, Diversity and Youth, Noemí Santana, the President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, María Dolores Corujo, and the Mayor of Teguise, Oswaldo Betancort.
The future facility, located in the municipality of Teguise, will have 130 residential places of high requirement and 50 day stay places, and will host the 48 users who are currently in the Insular Hospital.
"The construction of this new infrastructure will allow to expand the current offer of residential places for the care of this group, going from 227 places in current residences (distributed in 5 residences, 3 public and 2 private) to a total of 357 places, which represents an increase in places in residences of 57 percent", highlight from the Regional Government.
During his speech, the President of the Canary Islands stressed that this is a "very important" project for Lanzarote and for the Canary Islands as a whole, "based on a new model of care in residential units that is new in the Islands, as well as an example of collaboration between institutions of different political colors but with a clear objective which is the defense of the general welfare."
An architectural design following "the footprint of César Manrique"
Torres referred to the footprint of the artist César Manrique and his commitment to sustainability on the Island, a path that he says has also marked the architectural design of this new social and health infrastructure that will be powered by renewable energies, such as geothermal, solar or photovoltaic.
"Undoubtedly, attending to our elders and giving them back what they have given us so much is an ethical, personal and also political responsibility," added the head of the Executive, who celebrated that "things are getting better, and they are getting better because a year and a little ago, what we were doing was trying to prevent people from dying in residences and today they are all vaccinated. We are winning against Covid-19 because there are thousands of vaccinated people and fewer and fewer infections," he defended.
The Minister of Social Rights, Noemí Santana, emphasized the future center of Tahiche as an "example and reference" of construction of a new model of social and health center. In this regard, she stressed that the future facility "marks the way forward for what we want for all the Canary Islands, leaving the model of macro residences to enter a new model of smaller, closer residences that are a model of coexistence."
In her speech, Santana stated that "the commitment of the Canary Islands Government to the island of Lanzarote goes far beyond the provision of this new resource, since this year, an item of 500,000 euros is allocated to finance a pilot project of Insularized Service of Care for the Elderly and Dependent Persons of home care to prevent dependency, managed by the Island Council."
For her part, the President of the Cabildo thanked the Government of the Canary Islands for its "absolute commitment to those who need the most help." "Services like this make us more equal. Let's bet on social justice and give a dignified service to our dependents," she added. For his part, Oswaldo Betancort welcomed the step that this center will represent and expressed his desire that "Lanzarote continue to grow on the socio-health map."
A residential complex with capacity for 130 elderly people
For the construction of the future center, located in the Los Calderones area, the Government of the Canary Islands will allocate a total of 10 million euros through the II Plan of Social and Health Infrastructures of the Canary Islands. The execution period of the project is 18 months.
"The future center for the elderly has been designed following a co-living model, consisting of eight homes with capacity for 16 people each, developed on one floor with independent buildings interconnected with the main building. The rooms will be equipped with their own bathroom and extra beds for use by family members when they decide to stay in the room accompanying the resident," explain from the Executive.
The center will have open and naturally lit common areas, with full accessibility, physical autonomy, therapeutic gardens, interior patios and landscaped areas and covered terraces.
The ground floor, of 3,000 square meters, will be used for residential uses, leisure and for the day center. The upper floor will have administrative services, staff changing rooms and offices. The basement, with almost 9,000 square meters of occupation, will be used for water services, hydraulic equipment, boilers, laundry, warehouses and parking for the center's own staff, as well as for visitors. "The project has taken into account the values of Lanzarote and its harmony with the architectural identity of the island", insist from the Regional Government.
