Improving to help older people
Calpe takes part in WHO project to make the town 'elderly-friendly'
CALPE aims to improve its attraction by adapting to meet the specific needs of older people revealed by the results of a special investigation.
The Marina Alta resort – which has a high proportion of retired people in the community – has taken part in a World Health Organisation project to make it ‘elderly friendly’.
The first phase of the project was to consult the over 60s via questionnaires and discussion groups; highlighting the problems and underlining the advantages of living in Calpe.
The town is one of seven across the Valencia region and two in Murcia that are taking part in the WHO programme, which is aimed at discovering the needs of a key part of the population and improving the quality of life.
And the results of the initial investigation were presented at the Casa de Cultura, led by Councillor Carole Saunders and a group of specialists helping coordinate the initiative.
It identified the problems people have because of the topography of the municipality; the town centre and its urbanisations are built on steep slopes and accessibility remained a key concern.
Many older people also said there was a need to improve public transport around the town itself – linking the centre with urbanisations – and the need to connect Calpe with Denia hospital.
Complaints
The study groups also complained that much of the information about services and events did not reach outlying homes so there was a need to keep these areas involved. There were also calls to improve the quality of public spaces and parks, and to provide more public toilets.
However, on a more positive note, people also responded how they found Calpe an ‘ideal’ place to live because of its climate, beaches, and natural spaces.
They also said elderly people were treated well and shown respect by younger members of the community – and they felt included in the social and political life of the community.
There was also praise for the Centro Civic de la Tercera Edat; the civic centre for people of the third age, and for the Casa de Cultura itself. This was because they both offered a wide range of activities and were a way of integrating and interacting with other people.
Councillor Saunders said the results of the survey would be to draw up an action plan for Calpe via workshops that would invite proposals from members of the public and evaluate improvements taking place over the next three to five years – finally periodically assessing how well they worked.
“The next stage is to send the information gathered and facts we are still gathering to the various departments of the town hall that are concerned with them,” she said.
“Some already know the more obvious problems; others are already being addressed – some have been unknown and will be looked at. We hope to convert Calpe into an even more elderly friendly town.”