The Palma Nursing Home has been without a bar for over two years.

PalmThe residents of the Palma Nursing Home, a center run by the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS) of the Consell de Mallorca, have been without a bar for over two years. This space was a meeting place for a drink or a snack, spending time with family, and watching television together before its closure. All this in an area of Palma where leisure and dining options are scarce.

Today, the offerings are limited to jugs of water left by the nursing home staff and vending machines. The once lively and busy place has become a sadder place, and it is the center's staff who are responsible for cleaning it. Although the bar is open and residents can access it to watch TV and receive visitors, it is often family members who bring food and drinks from outside, as there are no other options available beyond the center's regular menu and the vending machines, which offer a very limited selection. As the news image shows, the bar is empty: all you can see are pitchers and glasses and a locker with board games in the background.

Sources close to the center explain that the Gira-Sol Association, the former concessionaire, left the service during the first half of 2023. According to IMAS, two public bidding processes have been launched since then, but neither has received any offers. A third is currently being prepared with revised conditions to attract interested parties. Until now, one of the clauses that most hampered contracting was the subrogation of personnel, considering that there were more workers than necessary to offer the service. ARA Baleares has contacted Gira-Sol to find out how many employees it had, the contractual arrangements that governed them, and whether they were relocated to other projects or laid off, but has not received a response.

The new bidding process—according to IMAS, one of its current priorities—should be launched once the mandatory deadline for subrogating former employees has passed, which should boost its appeal. In addition, the requirements will be modified to allow participation by various types of companies, not just third-sector entities, although these will continue to receive higher scores for their social nature.

One more room

Beyond the staff's dedication to providing support to residents, some alternative initiatives have been launched during this time. Young people from the ALTER program—a socio-educational intervention initiative aimed at adolescents failing at school, managed by IMAS itself with the support of other administrations—came to the residence to sell sandwiches, soft drinks, and cakes. Unfortunately, the collaboration was temporary and ended, leaving the bar closed once again.

This space has been transformed into a lounge where many residents simply go to watch television. When a user has difficulty using the vending machine, the staff helps them. On special days, such as holidays and special celebrations, a table is set up with drinks and small snacks, but these occasions are limited to a few. Despite the limitations, the bar remains the only alternative for residents with reduced mobility and cognitive impairment, who in many cases cannot leave the center.

In the area surrounding the residence, the range of bars and establishments where residents and their families can go is very limited. This exacerbates the situation, especially for people with mobility difficulties and their families looking for a nearby space to spend time with their loved ones. The lack of nearby options makes the restoration of bar service within the center even more necessary, not only for convenience but also to ensure a social and dignified environment for the elderly.