Local governments and aging policies: An analysis of municipalities in the region of Madrid

Autor: Alfonso Egea de Haro, Carmen Navarro
Jazyk: Catalan; Valencian<br />English<br />Spanish; Castilian
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Papers, Vol 109, Iss 1 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 0210-2862
2013-9004
DOI: 10.5565/rev/papers.3219
Popis: Local governments are increasing their efforts to provide services to older adults ranging from health and care for dependents to leisure and cultural activities. Despite the widespread adoption of the active aging paradigm, the intensity of the aging process and the capacity and preferences of local governments to address the consequences of aging are not uniformly distributed. This study examines variations in local government responses to aging based on a survey conducted between October 2018 and February 2019 among government officials and political representatives in municipalities in the Community of Madrid with a population exceeding 10,000 inhabitants. A descriptive exploration of the survey responses suggests variability in local governments’ approach to aging, which is associated with factors such as the concentration of older adults in the municipality and differences in available income levels. In municipalities that prioritize resource-intensive policies, such as health care and programs targeting poverty and the prevention of social exclusion, there is a higher concentration of older adults and lower levels of available income. Conversely, wealthier municipalities tend to focus on policies aimed at promoting leisure and culture. This divergence in local policy responses highlights the heterogeneity within the active aging paradigm. Furthermore, it provides a nuanced understanding of how these policies can be adapted and responsive to the specific needs of each municipality.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals