At some point in our lives, We all play the role of caregivers. Whether due to illness, disability or due to age, many people in our country today face the challenge of attending their loved ones, sacrificing their time and well -being. The figures are overwhelming: according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda, about 9% of the Spanish population is in a dependency situation in different degrees.
The spectrum of diseases that generate dependence is increasingly: From mental health disorders and addictions to chronic diseases, neurological conditions and different types of disability.
It should be noted that the situation of caregivers has an especially important gender impact: eight out of 10 non -professional caregivers They are womenaccording to data from the Women’s Institute.
To respond to this growing reality, ABC has launched ABC we take care of youa transformative initiative that seeks to give visibility to the invisible work of caregivers. “We are not aware of the crucial role that caregivers have in our society, until you become one of them,” explains Ana Delgado, general director of the newspaper. “From ABC we assume our commitment to society as a means of communication and we embarked, from the conviction, in this wonderful project that will not leave anyone indifferent.”
The panorama becomes more complex when we observe demographic trends. According to the INE, more than 20% of the Spanish population has 65 years or more, and it is expected that this proportion exceeds 25% from here to 2035. To this is added the increase in longevity, the WHO indicates an average increase of almost six years between 2000 and 2023, which will imply longer and demanding care periods.
Sandwich generation
The delay in motherhood and other demographic indicators accelerate the pressing of the situation. More and more citizens (between 30 and 55 years old) are trapped in the so -called Sandwich generation: they have not yet finished raising their children when they see themselves forced to serve their parents. The precarious situation of caregivers particularly affects women – 73% of those who assume these care – exposed to other economic or labor gaps in this age range.
In Spain, the situation is particularly pressing Compared to countries around us: according to a European Commission report that compared the situation of these non -professional caregivers in several countries, despite having a percentage comparable to our neighbors, in Spain the formal care systems were less developed, something that involves greater pressure for these families.
The personal and professional cost for caregivers is equally significant. These same data reveal that the 43% are forced to reduce their working hours (Specifically, they claim to have renounced an average of 24 hours of weekly work to be able to serve their relatives) and, of course, their few moments of leisure: up to 12 hours a week.
The quality of life of caregivers is reduced by 40% compared to what would have without these invisible responsibilities for the rest of society.
No less important, the impact on mental health is especially worrying: 27% of caregivers have depression diagnoses or anxiety disordersto which physical problems such as back pain and arthritis are added in almost one in four. This reality is aggravated by the lack of formal support: only 15% of caregivers receive help from professional caregivers.
A new culture
The project promotes an innovative business culture that implements practical solutions such as work flexibility, accompaniment services, promotion of teleworking, volunteer promotion and Greater accessibility to aid Psychological
The initiative has the support of important collaborators. The Patient Organizations Platform (POP) contributes its experience close to the reality of caregivers. As Carina Escobar points out, president of Pop: “The campaign involves a key opportunity to make visible the reality of people with chronic diseases as well as their families and caregivers, while revealing the deep impact that chronic diseases have especially in childhood, adolescence, women, the elderly and careful people.”
For the Patient Organizations Platform, which groups no less than 41 organizations with almost 967,000 associates, the initiative is an important step to “sensitize society and make visible so many people in a situation of suffering and loneliness, as well as to promote more inclusive and equitable health and social political initiatives,” summarizes its president Carina Escobar.
ABC we care for with you also has the collaboration of the General Nursing Council of Spain. As its president declares, Florentino Pérez Raya“The nurses, who dedicate our lives to the care of others, we must also turn us on those who take care for the well -being of all those involved in it. “
Solutions with real impact
For its part, the Fernando Pombo Foundation contributes to this initiative from the legal perspective. Since its inception, this foundation has worked on projects related to health, disability, dependence and social exclusion. For ABC we take care of you will carry out research work to put useful legal knowledge at the service of caregivers and people in dependency.
Together with the Fernando Pombo Foundation team, They will collaborate selflessly lawyers from the office Gómez-Acebo & Pomboled by partner Irene Fernández Puyol, of the public team and regulated sectors, to apply their expert knowledge in this area. The objective is to be able to offer the caregiver collective a number of accessible solutions with real impact and the maximum legal rigor.
Ana Higuera, its director, emphasizes that “from the first moment we wanted to join this project.” As a foundation of the legal sector, they have been able to verify firsthand that “there is a need to clarify the rights of people who care for others”, for which it is necessary to explain in an accessible language all the benefits that exist in our system, “recognizing their generosity and contribution to progress In a complex society like the current one, “he says.
“We also want to participate in the search for norms that can build a fairer future, protecting and promoting care, especially with the most vulnerable people,” adds Higuera.
Solid industry support
This project has also achieved the support of such important laboratories such as Astra Zeneca or Teva, as well as the CEU San Pablo University and the collaboration from different autonomous communities.
ABC we take care of you represents more than an initiative; It is a call to action to transform the way Spanish society sees and supports its caregivers. With a growing and enthusiastic support from companies and institutions, the project advances towards its objective of building a more empathic, fair and supportive society, which recognizes and protects the fundamental role of the caregiver.
“We want to help and give deserved visibility to this Collective called Fragil“, says Delgado.” The increase in life expectancy, together with the increase in diseases that produce dependence, forces us to be aware and be prepared for it. “
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