AZORES | Mónica Seidi secures Regional Government’s support for new Ribeirinha Social Centre
The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, highlighted today the importance of the project to create a new day centre in the parish of Ribeirinha, Terceira Island, a long-standing ambition of the local community aimed at responding to a need identified over many years. In this regard, to ensure the project moves forward, the promoting institution was asked to review it to confirm that it meets all necessary conditions for eventual approval under the current Community support framework.
“We want this to be a solid and well-structured project that fully complies with current legal and financial regulations, so that it can be implemented and effectively serve the population of Ribeirinha and Terceira Island,” stated Mónica Seidi.
Considering the cost update associated with the general rise in prices in the construction sector, the planned investment for this project, financed under PO2030, amounts to about €2 million, with the respective implementation project still pending.
The government official also mentioned that the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security, through the Regional Directorate for Social Solidarity (DRSS), has provided the necessary technical support to ensure compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements for licensing this type of social service in Ribeirinha. It meets the minimum requirements for creating a Day Centre, with an installed capacity for 25 users.
During a visit to the Ribeirinha Social Centre, the Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security emphasised the importance of local social services, particularly day centres, in supporting the elderly population of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
Day centres are an essential social response for people over 65, providing social support, promoting a range of occupational, social and recreational activities, and providing essential basic care to users’ well-being. These responses also mitigate social isolation and encourage active and dignified ageing, aligning with European Union guidelines, which prioritise community-centred and proximity-based social responses.
For Mónica Seidi, “day centres play a decisive role in promoting independent living among elderly people, allowing them to stay in their familiar environment and their homes for as long as possible.”
At the end of 2025, a total of 447 users were attending the Day Centre social service in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, corresponding to an occupancy rate of 71.1%, demonstrating the relevance and growing demand for this type of social service in the context of the ageing population in the Region.
The Regional Government remains firmly committed to the elderly population, which is reflected, among other measures, in the payment of the Regional Pension Supplement, with further positive updates in 2026, including increases of up to 15%, reinforcing social protection and the income of regional pensioners.
GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU
