Prime Minister Office of Spain : Dolors Montserrat commits to pushing through policies to benefit the elderly

The minister highlighted the need for this strategy, which seeks to offer better treatment for the elderly, 'by making them feel an active and essential part of society and seeing themselves as active members thereof'.

Dolors Montserrat referred to the important challenges that this strategy aimed at the elderly must tackle. One of the strategic lines will be socio-healthcare for our elderly citizens, accompaniment for those who live alone and the incorporation of their professional experiences in society.

Another of the goals of this strategy will be to step up the fight against abuse of the elderly, a problem that requires greater visibility in order to help the victims.

In Spain, there are 9 million people over the age of 65 and it is estimated that by 2050 this figure will have risen to 17 million, which makes it essential to work on measures to build a society that provides responses to their needs.

The State Council for the Elderly is a governmental advisory body attached to the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality and chaired by the minister. Its aim is to institutionalise collaboration with the elderly in the definition and application of policies aimed at this group of people. The State Secretary for Social Services and Equality, Mario Garcés, the Director-General of IMSERSO, Carmen Balfagón, and the Third Vice-President of this Council, Luis Martín Pindado, also took part in the meeting.