Mallorca home care waits as staff shortage bites

On Mallorca and across the Balearic Islands, people wait for help at home because there are too few care workers. Social welfare minister Sandra Fernández acknowledged the shortage at a parliamentary hearing in Palma, Mallorca, on Thursday, 1 October. She was answering questions from the Socialist Party of the Balearic Islands about care for people who need support.

Fernández said the regional government had put more money into care, increased the hours of help available and improved working conditions. But without enough workers, she said, the service cannot reach everyone who needs it.

Other help does not cover the gap

Fernández said 85% of people waiting for home care already receive another payment or service through the care system. Socialist deputy Omar Lamin challenged how much that helped. He said the payment he was referring to was less than 200 euros — not enough to pay for the hours of care a person needs.

Across the Balearic Islands, the average wait after applying for an individual care plan is 129 days, Fernández said. Since May 2023, the number of care benefits has risen by 39%, while applications have risen by 24%.

More hours, but not enough workers

The home-care service now has 43,000 additional hours available. The regional government has also invested 11 million euros to expand remote assistance to 23,000 devices.

It is working to bring 1,592 care places into use: 899 are in projects already under way, and 693 are newly planned during this parliamentary term. For people waiting for help in their own homes, though, Fernández said the shortage of workers remains the main obstacle.

Topics: Social affairs · Culture · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com