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International Day of Older Persons Marks Protests and Policy Moves Across Spain

Public mobilisations coincided with regional plans to bolster support for older people.

Overview

  • More than a thousand people rallied in Barcelona’s Plaça de Sant Jaume calling for a society free of ageism, with actress Vicky Peña reading a manifesto and local leaders, including Mayor Jaume Collboni, in attendance.
  • The Community of Madrid unveiled a Plan for Ageing and Dependency prevention featuring a Carnet Senior for residents 60+, covering about 1.7 million people with 100+ measures funded at €400 million per year.
  • Madrid’s Carnet Senior will operate via a digital and physical card linked to users’ social records, offering access to activities with discounts, guidance on removing architectural barriers, and expanded intergenerational volunteering.
  • Catalonia reported progress on expanding care capacity, securing 2,000 of a pledged 6,000 new public residential places in a year, alongside financing tools and an upcoming law to extend integrated social and health care.
  • Unions in Cantabria pressed for action on poverty and care gaps—citing about 18% of pensioners near the poverty line and a residential care ratio below the legal target—while community and provider initiatives promoted dignified, person‑centred care.