Girona Council Challenges Regional Care Home Reduction
The Ajuntament de Girona has formally opposed a plan by the Generalitat de Catalunya to eliminate 100 residential care places at the Creu de Palau facility in order to build 55 assisted living units. The city council warns the move will worsen access to long-term care in a city where the wait for a public residential place is already one and a half years. The Generalitat has stopped accepting new residents at Creu de Palau to reduce its capacity from over 220 to fewer than 150, according to reports from July 2026. This reduction comes at a time of high demand and limited supply, with Girona having only two public residential centres.
Council Offers Alternative Site
In a letter to the regional Ministry of Social Rights and Inclusion, the city council proposed using municipal land to build the new assisted living units instead, preserving all existing residential places. It also suggested converting 37 semi-medicalised places at the Puig d’en Roca centre into full residential care spots. Gemma Martínez, Girona’s councillor for the 'Ciutat que Cuida' (Caring City) programme, stated that residential care and assisted living are not interchangeable, particularly for people with high dependency needs. She stressed that Girona requires both types of support.
Public Backlash and Staffing Concerns
Residents’ families have raised concerns about understaffing and deteriorating care quality since the reduction began. They report workers are overburdened and taking sick leave, leaving users under-attended. The political platform Guanyem Girona launched a petition on 5 August 2026 calling for the preservation of the 100 public places. It has gathered over 1,000 signatures, including more than 200 in the first few hours. The city council has demanded the Generalitat restart admissions immediately and establish a joint commission to plan future social care infrastructure. As of mid-August 2026, the regional government has not responded to the council’s proposal or letter.
Girona needs both resources, we can’t afford to lose residential places,” said Councillor Gemma Martínez.
The dispute reflects a broader debate about the balance between residential and assisted living models across Catalonia, especially as demand grows for services tailored to different levels of dependency.
Primary sources: eb.girona.cat, govern.cat, Generalitat de Catalunya, dretssocials.gencat.cat. Reported by apdnoticies.com, Júlia Bagué, Laura Castaño Martín, Girona FM, Redacció, Josep Coll, Laura Teixidor, CatalunyaPress.es, APD Noticies.
