Spain's disabled elderly face confinement as bureaucratic delays stall home elevators

Teresa, an 85‑year‑old woman with a degree‑II dependency rating, has been confined to her second‑floor apartment for a year because the elevator installed in her building cannot be put into service. The delay is attributed to pending bureaucratic approvals for the plumbing project, leaving the lift unusable despite its completion in May 2025.

Teresa relies on her 54‑year‑old daughter Maite for daily care, including dressing, feeding and bathroom assistance. She has not left her home on her own since 28 July 2025, missing medical appointments and enduring several health incidents, such as a fall that required emergency ambulance assistance. Her husband Juan Manuel also reports frustration and emotional strain.

The water utility Canal de Isabel II has contacted the contracted plumbing company to expedite the missing documentation, reporting progress on the pending paperwork. Disability advocate Luis Cayo Pérez Bueno, president of the Spanish Committee of Representatives of Persons with Disability (CERMI), says roughly 100 000 people in Spain face similar accessibility barriers and calls the situation a “social crime,” blaming outdated horizontal property law for the systemic failure.