Comprehensive strategy against unwanted loneliness in the planning of the Valladolid City Council

Abstract

This paper analyzes the problem of unwanted loneliness and its approach within the Contigo Plan 2024–2028, promoted by the Valladolid City Council as a comprehensive strategy to prevent and address unwanted loneliness and social isolation, with special attention to the elderly. The analysis is based on a social and demographic assessment that shows that more than 28% of the population in Valladolid is over 65 years of age. It also recognizes the incidence of loneliness as a complex, multidimensional phenomenon of health, social, and emotional relevance. It differentiates between loneliness (a subjective experience) and isolation (an objective condition) and identifies sociodemographic, psychological, physical, and community risk factors.

Based on scientific evidence and international initiatives, the plan proposes care interventions that are not only preventive but also community-based, promoting participation, support, and social inclusion. The Contigo Plan articulates a collaborative model between the administration, the third sector, and the community, with a gender and life-cycle perspective, and establishes continuous evaluation mechanisms. Its innovative nature as a public policy aimed at social cohesion and emotional well-being through social intervention in the context of active aging is emphasized.