Cinco empresas compiten por programa contra la soledad en La Laguna
The Municipal Society of Housing and Services (Muvisa) of La Laguna reports that the deadline for submitting bids for the management of the first "Service of social integration support for elderly people experiencing unwanted loneliness or at risk of experiencing it" in the locality has ended. This tender has exceeded participation expectations with five companies participating. With this ongoing program, which will involve a multi-year investment of nearly 650,000 euros, La Laguna aims to mitigate a growing phenomenon among its elderly population that has implications for the mental and physical health of those affected.
Muvisa’s President, Adolfo Cordobés, explains that "this action program is set to run for a period of up to 4 years, with a total tender budget of 644,233.72 euros. We hope that the contracting board will finalize the award process in May, and once all formalities are completed, the service will commence in early summer."
Cordobés added that this initiative will initially reach a hundred individuals with the aim of addressing this issue comprehensively, taking into account physical and mental factors, as well as social environment and access to appropriate support. The goal is to empower them and provide tools to help manage loneliness and prevent its negative consequences.
The Councilor for Social Welfare of the Municipality of La Laguna, María Cruz, expresses that "we hope that the program will have a transformative impact on the elderly facing this situation, allowing them to improve their physical and mental well-being, alleviating symptoms such as depression or anxiety. With this innovative initiative, we want to offer spaces where they feel heard and valued, where they can strengthen their self-esteem and reduce the negative effects of isolation."
Cruz explains that this service aims to be a gateway to a more fulfilling and meaningful life. To achieve this, individualized home interventions will be complemented by group educational interventions, aiming to facilitate the engagement of users in the resources and activities for healthy aging and social cohesion offered by the municipality.
The project, part of the "Municipal sociocultural dynamization and animation service for the elderly of La Laguna," managed through Muvisa by municipal commission, will also strengthen cooperation between Muvisa’s Social Department, the Social Welfare Area, and the municipal Home Care Service.
A plan based on a pilot experience
Since the Municipal Society was entrusted with the Elderly Service and as a result of continuous and direct work with the elderly, a growing issue of unwanted loneliness cases was identified, characterized by a subjective perception of isolation and lack of social connection. Consequently, there was a rapid acknowledgment of the need to address and attend to this issue, leading to the implementation of a pilot home support project for individuals in this situation, focused on sociocultural and psychosocial dynamization.
Over a period of 6 months, until mid-August of the previous year, this initiative served 40 elderly individuals from all districts who were experiencing loneliness and social isolation, providing activities for cognitive development, physical improvement, and social reintegration.
Additionally, Muvisa commissioned the Association for Inclusion "Acompáñame" to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of unwanted loneliness in individuals over 55 years of age in La Laguna. This study, along with the aforementioned pilot project, formed the basis for the creation of this initial ongoing program against unwanted loneliness in La Laguna.
The study, carried out by a multidisciplinary team on a representative sample of 400 individuals, was publicly presented last September.
