The "la Caixa" Foundation's Always Accompanied programme helps more than 2,000 elderly people in a situation of loneliness
In a context marked by the increase in cases of loneliness, the "la Caixa" Foundation's "Siempre Acompañados" programme has helped more than 2,000 elderly people since the beginning of this year. All this through an innovative methodology that has been constantly evolving since the project began in 2014, together with the community and administrations.
The increase in life expectancy, new forms of family coexistence and a different organisation of the use of time pose an increasingly complex reality from which new challenges arise, including loneliness, which is estimated to affect around 3 million people. The "la Caixa" Foundation's Elderly People's programme, with more than a hundred years of history, aims to tackle the new challenges that arise in old age. In Spain as a whole, people over 65 years of age represent 19.6% of the population (9,310,828 people). According to projection data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), in 2035 there could be more than 12.8 million elderly people, i.e. they would make up 26.5% of the total population of more than 48 million inhabitants.
Over the next few years, and especially from 2030 onwards, the greatest increases will be recorded with the arrival of the baby boom cohorts into old age.
The mission of the Always Accompanied programme is to empower older people in a situation of loneliness by putting them at the centre, as active subjects in their ageing process, and accompanying them in their search for a full life by promoting their relationships of well-being and support. The programme also seeks the involvement of citizens and the community environment to build alliances and work as a network. The aim is to raise public awareness and minimise situations of loneliness among the elderly.
It has been scientifically proven that coping with loneliness and improving social relationships brings powerful benefits: increased psychological adaptation to situations of loss, illness or chronic stress (such as caregiving); improved health, emotional state and life expectancy; increased quality of life; and reduced likelihood of illness and dementia. The programme has also found that fostering social relationships facilitates a full, meaningful and meaningful life.
The programme is currently present in 13 areas of Spain: Jerez, Murcia, Pamplona, Granada, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Sabadell, Terrassa, Tortosa, Girona, Tàrrega, Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Lleida. It has also landed in Lisbon and Porto. This year, its development has been possible thanks to the involvement of 426 social entities, 573 professionals and 304 volunteers.
The streets as a loudspeaker for the unwanted loneliness of elderly people
In order to raise awareness in society about the phenomenon of loneliness, the action "Loneliness is not seen, it is felt" has been launched, which through messages and images placed at different points in these cities makes visible the feeling of isolation experienced by millions of elderly people in their homes.
In addition, on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons (1 October), various awareness-raising activities are planned to highlight the importance of social relations and make loneliness visible as a challenge for our society in two ways: it can affect everyone, regardless of age, and at the same time, everyone can do their bit to improve the lives of the people around them who feel lonely. These activities are a sample of the different actions that are promoted throughout the year to raise awareness, detect people in loneliness and weave this network of support and relationships, always counting on the associative network and local institutions. For example, this summer we have promoted very welcome actions aimed at elderly people who were left alone during their holidays.
In addition, the Always Accompanied programme has launched 12 conversations in audio format with expert gerontologists and psychologists who address the keys to understanding loneliness from different perspectives, with an emphasis on prevention and tools for empowerment.
A participatory glossary to tackle ageism
This year, the "la Caixa" Foundation has published an innovative glossary with the aim of fostering social awareness of the words and expressions that promote ageism in order to avoid their use and contribute to good treatment.
The term ageism refers to age discrimination, especially against older people, and one of the most widespread forms is through the inappropriate use of language. The glossary, with a total of 45 entries, is the result of a process of compilation and selection of ageist words and expressions provided by participants in different initiatives of the "la Caixa" Foundation's Older People's programme carried out throughout Spain. As the publication highlights, it usually manifests itself through the infantilisation of the elderly (abuelito, viejito), depersonalisation (los viejos, los jubilados) and dehumanisation (carca, trasto).
