The percentage of the population in Calvia aged over 65 has more than doubled since 1998, according to the findings of the latest study. Calvia town hall reported yesterday that in 1998 7.75 per cent of the population in Calvia was aged over 65. By 2016, that figure had grown to 14.59 per cent; last month, 16.80 per cent of Calvia’s population was aged over 65.
The statistics are in fact in line with the national trend and 70 per cent of the population in Calvia is aged between 16 and 64. which is actually slightly below the national average, meaning that Calvia has one of the youngest populations in Spain.
Other findings of the study have revealed that 23 per cent of residents in Calvia aged over 65 were living alone in 2016 and that the majority of people aged over 70 are female and that 64 per cent of the Calvia population aged over 85 are women compared to 36 per cent of men. Breaking the data down further, Santa Ponsa and Palmanova have the “oldest” population with the greatest number of residents aged between 55-64, 65-84 and over 85. These are followed by Son Ferrer and Paguera.
The largest over 55 population is in Santa Ponsa and, according to the report, this trend is set to continue over the coming years which is why the town hall is taking steps to address the issue and ensure that the necessary facilities are in place to cater for an ageing and increasingly active population. Costa d’en Blanes and Calvia town also have ageing populations.
According to the town hall, the older section of the community comprises people who are well trained, have a lot of professional experience, are increasingly independent, aware of their rights and very independent. These are facts that the town hall is going to take into account when drawing up its “action plan” for the future. As the Bulletin reported yesterday a new centre for senior citizens is being built in Son Ferrer, but the town hall is going to also have to take into account health services.