\ The Regional Ministry of Social Affairs and the Town Council have invested 150,000 euros in the refurbishment, which has created 15 daycare places that are incorporated into the Public Network of Care for Dependency.

\ The centre was inaugurated in the presence of councillor Fina Santiago.

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The councillor for Social Affairs and Sports, Fina Santiago, accompanied the mayor of Muro, Miquel Porquer, during the inauguration of the municipality’s first-day centre. The facility is located on the ground floor of the Reina Sofia Residence, which occupies a space of 145 m2 and has 15 places for elderly people in a situation of dependency. The inauguration was also attended by the Director General of Planning, Equipment and Training, Juan Manuel Rosa; councillors from the town council and representatives of IMAS.

With this day centre, the elderly people of Muro will not have to travel to any other municipality to enjoy the service, as was the case until now. The facility is expected to welcome its first users at the beginning of December.

The project had a cost of 150,000 euros, which was financed 50/50 by the Regional Ministry and the Town Council. The refurbishment and adaptation cost 106,755 euros and the rest of the budget was for furniture and processing. The works, completed during the pandemic, allowed the spaces in the residence to be fluffed up and, until IMAS authorisation has been obtained, it has taken in users of the residence.

In the coming months, the Regional Ministry and the City Council will sign a collaboration agreement under which Social Affairs will finance the 15 places, which will be integrated into the Public Network of Care for Dependency. The agreement will have a retroactive effect and will cover the costs from the moment the daycare centre has its first users. The annual investment by the Regional Ministry will be around 118,000 euros.

Councillor Santiago said: “The Balearic Government has been firmly committed to day centres for many years. We have managed to ensure that almost all the municipalities of the Balearic Islands have one. The day centre allows people to continue living at home and at the same time receive professional care, which is what these spaces provide. It is one of the best services we can offer.

The councillor added that “the residences should exist for when the person is already very affected, we should also be committed to the home care service, to telecare, to adequate care for the elderly. We are all getting older and, when we need it, we will want to be well cared for”. To this end, “the administrations must work together. This centre has been a clear commitment to institutional collaboration. It was an initiative of the city council, which had a space in the residence that was not being used and could be put to good use. Therefore, a small space that was not being used now provides a great service. It has been a smart bet and we must continue like this”.

Mayor Porquer thanked the Govern for its economic contribution and added that “there are many people who at home do not have the possibilities they have in a residence, where for some reason they cannot enter, and in a day centre there is a timetable with which their children can continue to do their activities and then go and look for their parents again. Taking care of our parents as well as our children is our main duty.

Muro, new day centres

Linked to the development of care for dependent adults and the ageing population, the Department of Social Affairs and Sports has a plan in place for new public facilities for both new construction and refurbishment. This plan is financed with its own and European funds from the REACT-EU funds and the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience fund.

In terms of day centres, the new facilities planned include, for example, those in Palmanova (Calvià), Sóller, Porreres and Son Xigala (Palma). With the day centres whose works are being completed and which have yet to open, 354 new places will be made available.

These are facilities, residences and day centres which, once built, will provide services for people in a situation of dependency and, therefore, their places will be financed by the Regional Ministry of Social Affairs, regardless of how they are managed.