Spanish
Santo Domingo. - The executive director of the National Council for the Elderly (CONAPE), Dr. Demetrio Vicente, stated that during the year 2026 the institution will consolidate the network of Day Homes, Permanent Care Centers and home services, with a focus on the reunification and permanence of older adults in their family and community environment.
Dr. Vicente Ureña specified that CONAPE will continue to strengthen the National Care System, promoting the professionalization of the agents involved in it, as part of a comprehensive and sustainable public policy.
"We will expand home services throughout the national territory and promote awareness of the need to strengthen inter-institutional and community support, reinforcing the criterion that the care of the elderly is a shared responsibility between the State, society and families," said the official.
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He added that the year 2025 was significant for CONAPE, as the goals and projects were executed and fulfilled under a management assumed with responsibility, guaranteeing fundamental rights, territorial equity and the dignity of this population in each of the actions developed by the institution. Vicente Ureña offered these statements when addressing the members of the entity's Board of Directors, during the first ordinary meeting of the year 2026, in which he gave an account of the actions of the previous year and presented the achievements, the challenges identified and the projects conceived for the period that is just beginning. The CEO maintained that CONAPE's strategic projections for the year 2026 were designed to continue strengthening public policies aimed at older adults, taking into account that population aging requires planning, inter-institutional coordination, and timely decisions at the highest level. He explained that the budget for the year 2025 was executed at 90.28%, within the framework of responsible, efficient financial management, and aligned with the provisions of the State's governing bodies. This execution allowed for the strengthening of social infrastructure, the completion and operation of Day Homes and Comprehensive Care Centers, as well as the expansion of territorial coverage, guaranteeing more timely care for older adults. Likewise, it was pointed out that the execution of the results-oriented budget evidenced the positive impact of timely actions in favor of the population in vulnerable conditions, which resulted in a budget increase for the year 2026, with the aim that social assistance continues to be effective and guaranteed in a relevant manner. Finally, Dr. Vicente Ureña reiterated that CONAPE will consolidate the National Care System and will sustainably improve the processes of supervision, evaluation, accreditation and habilitation of centers, in order to guarantee quality standards, transparency and effective protection of the rights of older adults. He indicated that the 2026 management will be oriented towards optimizing the quality of public spending, strengthening the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of programs, in addition to implementing the first pilot plan of the food residency service, through a focused intervention aimed at 500 older adults.
