Spanish Health

Spain is regarded generally as a very healthy place to live, with it's sun and outdoor way of life, fresh food void of preservatives and plenty of fish and Olive oil you really can have a healthy life here.

The area around Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca is known as one of the healthiest places in the world to live due to it's micro cliamate and salt lakes. The Spanish generally live longer than other Europeans with a life expectancy of 80 for women and 75 for men.

HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS

The Spanish health care system varies in it's quality just as it does in other countries within Europe. Generally along the costas and major cities inland you will find the service provided to be excellent.

One way it does differ from say the UK and that is in the aftercare. In Spain it has always been the normal practice for families to look after each other either in their old age or during ill health.

While you may find you have superb treatment in clean and modern hospitals, you may find that they will expect your family to be in the hospital for your general aftercare. This in most cases is a good idea as it releives the trained nurses to concentrate on the medical side with the family doing the washing and feeding. It can however be off putting for some of us northern Europeans used to having more contact with the nurses. They do however generally provide a bed for your carer to stay the night and if you do not have someone there with you, you will be cared for even though it may be a bit slow.

Food can also be very hit and miss and given at some very strange times of the day, dinner at 10pm! is not un common. Once again it is quite normal for Spanish relatives to bring in food and feed their loved ones.

Making Doctors appointments can be a bit of a trial if you are to make them at the Surgery and do not speak much Spanish but generally you are able to see your Doctor much quicker than say in the UK.

The more modern areas now offer internet and telephone booking systems for appointments and in areas such as the Costa Blanca you have the option of using the system in English. It is not unusual to use the automated system and get an appointment within an hour.

Although many health workers now do speak some English, it is generally worth spending 25 or 30 euros to take an interpretor with you especially if it's an important issue.

RETIREMENT AND NURSING HOMES

One of the worries that ex pats have as they get older is the care that is offered to Spain's older residents. It has always been the case that the Spanish families look after their elderly themselves so that the notion of a nursing or retirement home is almost unheard of.

However this is changing, with the influx in the 1980's and 1990's of many northern Europeans looking to retire, many are now coming to the age when they need some extra care. They generally have two options, one is to go back to say the UK and the other is to stay in Spain. As many have now been here for 20 years they want to stay in the sun with their friends, so a few enterprising companies are now realising a potential market and opening up retirement homes and villages.

One such site is the excellent "Life Resort" at Santa Pola near Alicante. Based on the American idea of a complete village style complex, it offers everything from shops, restaurants and clinic along with a theatre. There are indoor and outdoor pools and spas and as you would expect total 24 hour security for peace of mind.

These types of complexes and smaller retirement units will now start to blossom especially along the Costas so there will not be the problem in the future in respect of having to return to the UK as we get a little older for care.