Sancti Spíritus Undertakes Actions to Face Population Aging

The repair of the so-called grandparents’ homes, nursing homes and the social assistance follow up of the elderly are among the actions promoted in Sancti Spíritus, one of the mot aged provinces in Cuba, to address this social problem.

According to the Council of Provincial Administration (CAP, in Spanish), during the last five years the Ministry of Public Health rehabilitated five of the nine grandparents’ homes and three of the eight nursing homes that exist in the territory, in order to improve both the care and quality of life of those who receive these services.

In line with the concern of the country’s top leadership about the care provided to old people, 6 908 000 pesos were earmarked from the state budget for social assistance last year to date. This amount supports 437 social assistance services at home granted to 635 elders, the approval of almost 1,490 cash benefits, the provision of food to more than 420 persons in gastronomic centers of the Family Care System and the payment of around 400 people for their stay in the nursing and grandparents’ homes.

The province of Sancti Spiritus, where some 101 440 people with 60 years and over live, reports a population aging rate of 21.7 percent, exceeding the country’s 20.4. This phenomenon and the decrease in the birth rate are permanent part of the agenda of the Provincial Working Group for Demographic Studies.