Parma faces critical shortage of elderly care services in Emilia-Romagna

Pietro Vignali, regional secretary of Forza Italia, has criticized the province of Parma for having the lowest rates of relief and post-hospitalization care for non-self-sufficient elderly residents in Emilia-Romagna. Official regional data for 2025 indicates that Parma provides only 0.3 assisted residents per thousand inhabitants, significantly below the regional average of 1.5. In Ferrara, the rate reaches 3.4 per thousand.

The disparity is even more pronounced among the oldest demographics. For residents aged 85 to 89, Parma reports 2.6 assisted individuals per thousand compared to a regional average of 14.1. Among those over 90, the rate in Parma is 5.1 per thousand, while the regional average is 26.2. Vignali noted that these figures suggest concrete inequalities in service access rather than just demographic differences. Additionally, long-term residential care and dementia care services in Parma show significant criticalities, with rates trailing behind the regional average.