Oswaldo Betancort visits the site alongside President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, the Island Vice-President, María Jesús Tovar, Teguise’s Mayor, Olivia Duque, and the Councillor for Social Welfare and Inclusion, Marci Acuña
The Cabildo has announced the commencement of construction for the Sociosanitary Centre for the Elderly and Day Centre in Tahíche. This marks “a historic milestone for the Island of Care this September 2025, a management paradigm established by the current Island Government,” officials stated.
Oswaldo Betancort, who heads the institution, assured the successful revival of this project “after the paralysis” of the previous mandate. “Through constant work and without making noise,” noted the island leader, construction has begun on a pioneering infrastructure that will revolutionise dependency care in the Canary Islands, advocating a Person-Centred Care (PCC) approach.
Oswaldo Betancort, accompanied by President Fernando Clavijo, Island Vice-President María Jesús Tovar, Mayor Olivia Duque, and Social Welfare and Inclusion Councillor Marci Acuña, inspected the construction site this morning. “We have revived the Elderly Residence in Tahíche after years of stagnation and neglect,” commented Betancort, emphasising the “fundamental” nature of this infrastructure to guarantee the wellbeing of the elderly and dependent people on our island.
“The Socialist government left us a poisoned inheritance; their lack of diligence led to missed administrative deadlines and the return of over €13 million earmarked for sociosanitary infrastructures, including the funding for the Tahíche Residence. All they did was lay a symbolic first stone in 2019, without advancing a single step in an entire legislative term… Now, just as in many other matters, we have had to work hard to counteract the inaction of others,” Betancort stressed.
President Fernando Clavijo, on his part, assured that “we are aware of the challenge of providing comprehensive sociosanitary care to the Canary population. This goal requires time and effort; therefore, the Executive is already working intensively, in agreement with the Cabildo of Lanzarote, to progressively increase the number of places in sociosanitary centres for those who need it. A new model of care, focused on the users, that we owe not only to them, but also to their families,” he added.
The Vice-President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, María Jesús Tovar, stated that the initiation of construction “represents a turning point for Lanzarote and La Graciosa. After years of negligence from previous leaders, we are now unlocking a historic project and demand from the community, a determined commitment to transforming the sociosanitary spaces on the island, which will have a very positive impact on our elderly population.”
The sixth island residence
The Tahíche Residence will significantly increase the number of places available for individuals in a state of dependency, with 75 in a high-requirement sociosanitary centre and 50 in a day centre. “It will be equipped with modern, accessible facilities tailored to the needs of the elderly and their caregivers, in an innovative architectural complex comprising four interconnected buildings, merging sustainability and Canary architecture,” detailed Councillor Marci Acuña, who added: “This will be our sixth elderly residence,” highlighting the significant rise in sociosanitary places in Lanzarote and La Graciosa: “When construction is complete, we will have 125 new placements, increasing the island’s total by 25%, achieving the milestone of surpassing 1,000 sociosanitary places offered by the Cabildo. And we will continue to increase them…”
“With the commencement of this project, the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa are fulfilling their commitment to provide the island with the necessary resources through the construction of a sociosanitary centre for elderly people requiring medium-to-high-level sociosanitary assistance, using an architectural and functional model adapted to the evolution of the care model in dependency care,”
Furthermore, the new Residence will generate an economic and social boost by creating jobs during the construction phase and for the future management of the centre.
A new concept of care
The project promotes a residential model based on communal living units or “mini residences,” with a maximum capacity of 15 people, facilitating a more intimate and homely atmosphere. This new structure is founded on a person-centred care model, combining private and shared spaces that encourage autonomy, independence, and a sense of belonging to a home.
It will feature individual rooms for 65% of the placements, all with adapted bathrooms. Gardened patios and terraces will ensure natural ventilation, light, and communal spaces. There will also be dedicated areas for physiotherapy, stimulation, social work, and psychology, in addition to communal services such as a café, hairdresser, chapel, and therapeutic pool.
The diligence of the current government group at the Cabildo of Lanzarote enabled the awarding of the construction contract to the company SATOCAN S.A. last June, with a budget exceeding €16 million (including IGIC) sourced from internal funds, and a project timeline of 24 months.
“Lanzarote and La Graciosa are progressing toward a sociosanitary care model that prioritises the quality of life and dignity of the elderly, establishing itself as a model of innovation in the Canary Islands,” stated Oswaldo Betancort this morning, also thanking the regional government for its involvement in finding “valid solutions for an essential project”; and congratulating Councillor Marci Acuña and his team for their dedication in providing the public services that the population deserves.
