Friday, October 06, 2006
Green Light on Dependency Law
Yesterday, Congress gave the green light to the project for the new Ley de Promoción de la Autonomía Personal y atención a las Personas en situación de Dependencia (Law for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy and attention to Persons in situation of Dependency), which aims to be the "forth pillar" towards well-being, along with health, education and pensions, by recognizing as a right, care and attention for those citizens who are unable to undertake ordinary, everyday tasks for themselves, with the creation of a system of attention, which will be fully implemented by 2015.
For those persons and the families who look after them, economic aid and services are being created, some of which could be available from January 1, 2007.
Over 1.1 million people in Spain are gravely or severely dependent upon others for their daily care and another 1.6 million require some type of help to carry out daily tasks. Nevertheless, only 6.5% of families who care for these people have help from social services. Also, only 3.14% of those over 65 years of age have any help in the home; 2% have telephone assistance and 0.46% have a place at a day center.
Of the 1,125,000 persons who need help with basic daily tasks, like getting up, getting washed and fed, amongst others, 80% are aged 65 and over. Old folk currently make up 17% of the Spanish population and this continuing demographic progression means this figure is set to increase considerably in years to come.
The dedication required from those who care for the old, the dependent and the infirm - 83% of whom are women - in practice means that they are unable to enter the labour market. Only 20% of carers have a job outside the home.
The project, which now passes to the Senate obtained the backing of both the socialists (PSOE) and the Popular Party (PP).
Luz verde a la Ley de Dependencia
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