TRANSAGE Report Summery SITUATION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN CASTILE AND LEON (RETIRED) An approach from the region of Castile and Leon, Spain

Transcription

1 TRANSAGE Report Summery SITUATION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN CASTILE AND LEON (RETIRED) An approach from the region of Castile and Leon, Spain 1. Demographic characteristics of the region The Region of Castile and Leon is comprised of nine provinces, with an area of 94.2 thousand square km (18% of the Spanish territory). It is the largest region of Spain with a population of million people with a density of 27.5 inhabitants per square km. In the decades of the 60s, 70s and 80s there was a strong migration from the countryside to the cities looking for work in industry and services, so that the population is concentrated in provincial capitals and cities of the county seat. The rest of the territory is practically deserted and it is becoming an aging population. More than 1500 municipalities have a lower population than 500 inhabitants each. Based on a brief analysis of the data, we see that in our community, of all 2248 municipalities, 1982, has less than 1,000 inhabitants, which represents 88% of all municipalities. There is only one city with over 50,000 inhabitants. In this sense the population is predominantly rural. Another characteristic of our population is the condition of the elderly. In fact, the rural population of the region itself concentrates high levels of older people. If we consider the population data distributed by age according to the following table exposed (in January 2009), we see that more than 400,000 people are over 60 years old in the region, representing almost 30% of the total. Total rural population: People more than 60 years old % 29,

2 2. Social characteristics of the region In the decades of the '80s and '90s, (with the entry into the EEC) there is an economic improvement and an increase in the college students. There is a delay in the formation of married couples, so there is a drastic drop in the birth rate. These facts, among others are reason that we currently have a population with a high rate of older people (retirees). The region can be characterized as a depopulated rural area, with only older people. In this sense, younger people tend to seek personal and professional development in areas closest to the largest populations in the region. This feature makes it necessary to develop new ways to care for the elderly. 3. The economics of the region The economic characteristics of this region are based on three areas: o The industry o The food o Cultural tourism Industry It has been developed mainly in two provinces, Valladolid and Burgos. In Valladolid the car factories Iveco (formerly Pegasus), FASA Renault and FASA in Villamuriel (Palencia) represents the most heavy industry. In Burgos there is a more established industrial base. The city of Burgos is situated on the axis of communication between Portugal and France on one side and between Madrid and northern Spain on the other, in addition to its proximity to the Basque country; it becomes an industrial emergency centre from the 70s in Spain. The food We can emphasize on: Beef cattle in mountainous areas, pigs in the province of Segovia and Salamanca, and poultry in the province of Valladolid; The wine area with multiple designations of origin, such as Ribera del Duero, Cigales, Wheel, Tierra de Medina, Toro, El Bierzo and Cebreros; Agriculture is the most distinct region of Bierzo by its microclimate between mountains, river banks and grains in the flat dry plains. Cultural tourism Cultural tourism is predominant in this region of Castile and Leon. It has a great artistic heritage, both religious and civil, with three capital cities recognized by UNESCO as world heritage: Salamanca, Avila and Segovia; and the cities of Leon and Burgos with its Gothic cathedrals of international renown.

3 It also has many Romanesque monuments around the French Way to Santiago that crosses east to west across the northern part of the Region. The Castile-Leon region, rich in history specifically tied to the political activity of Spain of the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries, boasts among its variety of monuments of universal wealth. That makes the tourism in the area performed by people who seek to establish links with those times. 4. Legal framework and conditions for retired The Legal Framework in Spain for retirees collects benefits by the government (state), both economic and health. Every worker is required to contribute along with the company a fee to INPSS depending on the income, gaining the right to a pension paid from age 65, according to their contribution base with at least 15 years quoted. You can also retire after 60 years with a reduction in pay for each year until age 65, and at any age with a work disability percentage, paid by the degree of disability. All workers are covered with health care, paying 40% of the cost of drugs, but retirees have access to free medicines. Although the conditions of life of retirees may change in coming years, the fact is that so far reached the standard of living for older people in Spain and in the region of Castile- Leon, has been significant since Spain joined the European Union. 5. Situation of the elderly people in the region 5.1. Statistics In late 2009, Spain has pensioners monthly receiving an average of 850 Euros in the case of contributory pensions, and somewhat less in the case of other kinds of pensions Analysis of new opportunities for development activities In this community exists a wide program of activities, but we observe in the study done, that almost all are aimed at people valid, which can participate freely as there are places available. It is necessary to promote activities for older DEPENDENT people with lack of economic resources. They can t access to a private residence and the few public residential places are not enough. The waiting list is too long and the administrative procedures are lengthy Development of activities There are several programs of activities for elderly people:

4 Active training sponsored by the Public Administration of the Region, both at the Autonomous Community and municipalities. Through the Civic Centre. They are the centres of public character, coordinated by technical staff, focused on developing services, designed to allow users of different ages to develop activities advised by qualified personnel. These activities include some as Classrooms duties, workshops focused on diverse topics as music, dance, theatre, etc... In this sense, the activities for the elderly in community centres enjoy a special consideration: Education workshops memory, Dance, Yoga, Gymnastics, etc... Universities: Private and Public. Activity that intends to make the elderly people to learn. In this sense private centres, as Progesti@ offer activities in areas of personal development and training throughout the life. Adult Education Collective (CEPA). Adult Education Schools are permanently filled and the level of demand is increasingly high. Thematic courses on partnerships There are many groups of citizens who, under the name of various associations organise several training courses and focus on specific topics that are often funded from the government, such as art workshops, crafts, languages, etc. Sport-gym-pool Municipal Sports Foundation has developed a great deal of work aimed to enable older people conducting daily exercise and sporting activities. These activities are in high demand from the general population and the organization of activities of this kind is increasing. Active Aging Leisure and healthy lifestyles Special holiday programs for the elderly. Both by the IMSERSO, and from the government of Castile and Leon. The tourist trips for seniors, especially during winter or autumn, have been a special attraction for this group, which had not considered among its chances a tourist offer. Day Centres for older people. Although its implementation is relatively recent in the region, especially in rural areas, the fact is that the demand is increasing. The care centres for elderly people with a varied level of supply of services, aims to offer the opportunity to engage in other activities the user. Culture and education A wide range of socio / cultural participation of elderly people. This is certainly a reality that is reflected more in urban than rural areas.

5 Courses and occupational activities for older people - development of centres such as Progesti@, the University of Experience, etc. They are developed especially in the recent 10 years and promote a whole range of training and educational activities, as well as playful entertainment alternative that has come to cover a new field of needs in the region. In this regard, it should be noted that in recent years we can find many retired people with training levels much higher than the average in Spain until the late 80s. For this reason, the wide range of education in these centres responds to a huge need. Participation and solidarity Volunteering and associations. The ongoing effort of the local authority and regional levels among older people enhance their own status as citizens to enable selforganizing themselves in associations of participation in different areas and develop activities in the form of voluntary work. Ecological gardens. Project of training and recreational activities for seniors, funded by the City Council and organized by INEA Valladolid. It should provide an option for recreation, leisure, human relationships, work, relationship with nature, and learning from older people who meet the requirements for access to these gardens. 6. FOLKLORE Spain is a multicultural country, with large differences between the communities by the variety of climate, natural resources of each region and the influence of other cultures that lived together in the centuries. So we can talk about different musical instruments typical of each region and its most representative dances. The Community of Castile and Leon is currently composed of nine provinces (Leon, Zamora, Salamanca, Valladolid, Palencia, Burgos, Soria, Segovia and Avila), whose historical process has remained within a linguistic unit. Traditional music is composed of those tunes that accompany the individual and collective singing, as well as the melodies, performed by vocal or instrumental support, used for dances. We must not forget all the words spoken, with long or short duration (short stories, tongue twisters, toasts, etc.) using a chant or recitative melodic formula to support the expressiveness of the text. The study of this art - Ethnomusicology devotes the attention. More important than the collection of material is the commitment by some musicologists to unravel the task of analyzing the characteristics of the traditional repertoire musician. In that sense the works of Miguel Manzano

6 (Songbook) and Miguel Angel Palacios (Introduction) have cleared the way for future researchers. Castile s typical instrument: The Dulzaina. 7. GASTRONOMY Gastronomy is the cultural expression of a people at the table. On the tablecloth food draws the full potential of a territory that culminates in the kitchens of restaurants, having remained unchanged in the dietary habits of its inhabitants for centuries. The cuisine of Castile and Leon nowadays coexist in equal parts, between the traditional recipe, which keeps intact their dishes and ingredients, and the newly designed kitchen that prevails in most European restaurants. Due to the large geographical area and, crucially, the landscape and cultural diversity of the region, the popular recipe is very abundant and extremely varied. It is common to find in the villages of the region bakery foods and dishes holidays over 300 years old, remaining unchanged its presentation and most of the ingredients. This is a feature that characterizes the strength of the kitchen in Castile and Leon. Log in regional cuisine is to discover one of the deals in pork and sausages, and enjoy a wine of great tradition land. Our cuisine is based on three main pillars: the raw materials, the origins and the territorial factor.