The inhabitants of Madrid have a life expectancy of over 86 years and the senior population of the capital is close to 18.5% of the total. Precisely with the over-60s in mind, the Community of Madrid has just presented the Active Aging Plan, a comprehensive strategy aimed at improving the quality of life of the elderly and which includes the new Senior Card, aimed exclusively at Madrid residents aged 60 and over.
This document, which will be launched in the coming months, will function as a credential similar to the Youth Card and will give its holders access to the entire network of public and private resources designed for the elderly, from courses and workshops to cultural activities, training sessions and discounts in establishments that adhere to the “Senior-Friendly Entity” certification.
The plan seeks to shape healthy aging, facilitating the social participation and autonomy of the elderly thanks to more than 100 specific measures and an annual investment of more than 400 million euros. The card will be connected to the unique Social History of each beneficiary, allowing direct access and preferences in citizen service offices and assistance procedures. It will also serve as a key to advanced teleassistance programs, free advice on urban procedures (such as the removal of architectural barriers), and digital platforms with access to relevant information on inheritance rights, consumption, road safety and legal issues.
Carnet Senior: more than discounts for the over-60s
The initiative also envisages the expansion of free courses and workshops in collaboration with city councils, senior centers and associations, with a special focus on training in healthy habits, prevention of the digital divide, adapted physical exercise and legal rights. The active aging agents, specialized teams deployed in each municipality, will act as promoters of intergenerational volunteering in residences and accompanying programs to prevent situations of loneliness, even incorporating activities with dogs to improve the emotional wellbeing of the elderly.
The project will be adjusted as 2026 progresses, thanks to the systematic collection of demands and suggestions in a regional macro-study in which thousands of people of different ages and backgrounds will participate. The new Senior Card will also give preferential access to events, conferences and services, and will recognize the social or commercial initiatives that best adapt to and work for the integration and well-being of this age group through annual awards.