PROPERTY SEARCH
Murcia and Andalucía face major shortages in residential care places for elderly people
High occupancy in residential care highlights the need for more facilities, while services like Caser Residencial offer alternatives for seniors
The Region of Murcia and Andalucía are both struggling to provide enough care home places for their growing elderly populations, according to the latest report by the Association of Directors and Managers of Social Services.
In Murcia, the Region currently has 6,005 places for people over 65, but would need an additional 7,507 to meet the recommended ratio of five places per 100 residents. Of the available places, 71% are public and 21% private, with an average occupancy of 92.3%, well above the national average of 82.4%.
However, care homes in Murcia tend to be slightly larger than average, with about 85 residents per facility compared to 74 nationally.
Meanwhile, Andalucía has an even larger gap to contend with. The community needs approximately 36,600 more residential places to reach the same recommended ratio, making it one of the areas with the most significant shortfalls in the country.
The average occupancy rate of residential places in Andalucía sits at around 82%, on par with national figures, and the average facility size is 71.5 places; that’s smaller than both the national and Murcian averages.
In 2024, there were 46,695 residential places in Andalucía, of which 64.3% were publicly funded and 35.7% private. Despite a slight increase in residential places over recent years, the growth in the population over 65 has outpaced it, worsening the deficit.
The shortage isn’t confined to the Region of Murcia and Andalucía but rather points to a bigger national challenge. Spain would need more than 50,000 additional places just to cover those with severe or profound dependency, and almost 100,000 to reach the recommended ratio.
At the end of 2025, more than 32,000 people with Grade II and nearly 16,000 with Grade III dependency were on waiting lists, with tens of thousands more pending assessment.
The communities with the greatest deficits overall are Andalucia and Valencia, while the Canary Islands and Murcia have some of the lowest number of publicly funded places in the entire country.
Luckily, Caser Residencial offers a range of services to help seniors stay active and cared for, whether at home or in their facilities. These include physiotherapy after a fall or surgery, activities to stimulate the minds of people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, family respite stays and day centre services for those who don’t require residential care but are looking for more of a social outlet.For foreign residents, Caser’s International Units, including at Caser Residencial Málaga, provide nursing, elderly care and recuperative services in a language they understand. Home care is also available through Caser Cuidados, offering in-home healthcare, continuous monitoring and assistance with daily activities, all tailored to individual needs.
For more information on all the care services at the Caser Residencial Santo Ángel centre in Murcia, including those offered exclusively in English at the specialist International Unit, or Caser Residencial Málaga’s facilities, you can fill in the contact form below.
Images: Caser Residencial
