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Pyrénées-Atlantiques: a residence for aging well in the Aldudes valley
In a small village in the Basque Country, a mayor does his best to allow seniors to stay close to home, in the town of Banca. He had an abandoned building renovated to transform it into housing dedicated to them. – (France 2)
In a small village in the Aldudes valley, a mayor is doing his best to allow seniors to stay close to home, in the town of Banca. He had an abandoned building renovated to transform it into housing dedicated to them.
The Aldudes valley is one of the most remote in the Basque Country. A landscape of hills and scattered farms, where sheep breeding is practiced. Growing old here is often synonymous with isolation. But the mayor of Banca (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) had an old abandoned building renovated to transform it into a senior residence. His idea is that elders no longer have to leave the valley when they lose their mobility.
Seven apartments
Seven apartments have been fitted out, all suitable for older people. A social landlord, the State and the Abbé Pierre foundation provided most of the 1.2 million euros needed. A stone’s throw from the residence, the communal café brings together several generations every week around Basque songs. An example of rural solidarity in a department where people over 65 will be twice as numerous in 2050.
