In Catalonia, the situation with elderly care is becoming increasingly strained. In recent years, the system has not managed to recover from the consequences of the economic crisis and the pandemic. Now, a new challenge looms on the horizon—the aging of the baby boomer generation, which in the coming decades will lead to a sharp increase in the number of people needing support.
According to professional estimates, by 2035 the number of residents over 80 years old in the region will exceed 644,000 people. This will be about 7% of the population. At the same time, the annual growth rate of people over 65 will be around 2.5%. If large-scale reforms are not implemented and funding is not increased, the system simply will not withstand such pressure.
There is already an acute shortage of places in nursing homes and care professionals in Catalonia. To meet future needs, it will be necessary to create 80,000 more institutional beds and recruit at least 26,000 new staff members. However, the current reality falls far short of these figures: the region has only 63,000 stationary care spots and just over 20,000 places in day centers. Waiting lists for assistance are among the longest in the country: nearly 38,000 people are awaiting dependency assessment, and after their status is recognized, the wait for benefits or services can stretch up to nine months.
Service coverage rates lag significantly behind European standards. There are only 13 nursing home beds per 100 residents over 80, while the European average is 16. The situation with at-home care is even more challenging: just 4% of people over 65 receive assistance at home, whereas in Europe this figure exceeds 10%. Additionally, the intensity of support is minimal—just 13 hours a month—placing Catalonia at the bottom of the national ranking.
The problems are compounded by a shortage of qualified staff. Young professionals are reluctant to work in the care sector, and many prefer to move into healthcare, where salaries are higher. The wage gap between public and private institutions is so significant that it is almost impossible to retain employees. Even programs to attract foreign workers have not solved the issue: most leave within a year.
Funding remains one of the main pain points. Regional authorities cover most of the expenses, although by law these costs should be shared equally with the central government. Overall, less than 1% of GDP is spent on elder care in the country, while in Europe this figure is nearly twice as high. Market participants are calling for increased funding to 2% of GDP, which would allow for new places, higher salaries, and better conditions for the sector.
Another issue is the weak coordination between social and medical services. Despite formal agreements, in practice, collaboration between institutions and clinics is often lacking. As a result, families face bureaucracy and are forced to find solutions for their loved ones on their own.
Experts believe that without a unified sector-wide agreement and meaningful integration of social and medical services, the situation will only get worse. In the coming years, Catalonia will urgently need to reform its elderly care system, or the region risks facing a severe crisis.
