Help for in-laws looking to rent in Costa Del Sol

Hi Mister Nick,  

You have posed a very challenging question.  I have not been here myself for decades like some have but I wonder if now isn't a good time for them to go home to the UK?

I have not seen during my time here an explosion, or even a trickle, of support for the elderly.  I presume the reason is that the elder Spanish have families that look out for them and they live in small communities in small accommodation that is all manageable during their elder years.

To be in a community without support and without language skills I think could have potentially huge downsides.  I looked after my elderly mother in the UK for 4.5 years until she died and we ran into one crises after another which just started around 84 and never stopped until the end.  Even in the UK it was difficult to get government support.  Unfortunately this sort of situation can happen very fast with a person in their 80's.

The worst possible situation is to find some "nice" person who takes advantage of them.  Of course even family members take advantage of our elderly people so someone needs to be there to prevent this abuse from taking place.  You should have all the proper documentation in place to ensure someone trustworthy can represent their well being and not steal from them. (Sorry, not meaning to lecture but during the process with my mother I had to protect her from alot of situations occurring!)

Perhaps there is a mid point where they could rent for 6 months or 12 months at a time and see how things go one small chunk at a time but once a person hits the mid to late 80s their lifestyle can be suddenly impacted and at that point will be more difficult to relocate them and their pets. Its amazing your in-laws are so independent in late 80's!

Estate agents will, for the most part, be looking out for themselves, along with all other professionals but I am surprised you have not been able to find something nice to rent with the budget they have?

There are communities (Urbanizations) that have a large proportion of English speaking people - Duquesa Port is one and Estepona (usually Urbanizations).  They should be close to a hospital and be able to get around without a car (I believe). Estepona might work for them.  There are some really nice urbanization communities close to the beach for walking, shopping, English speaking groups and a few hospitals.

A friend of a friend lives in one.  I am happy to ask my friend to ask her friend about possible rentals in her building if you have not found anything and are interested in looking at this area.  Just private message me.

Good luck.  Hope it all works out for them.

Kerri

Hi there,

I note you have posted this on the Torrox forum. Does that mean you are considering Torrox as a place for your in-laws to move to? If so, I think Torrox costa would be ideal for them. I am going to disagree with the person who says there's no support for the elderly - every day I see older people with their carers out walking; my neighbour, who is in her 90s, has someone in twice a day and a cleaner three times a week; there's an excellent home nursing service run by a UK nurse; there's a whole sector of the ayuntamiento devoted to over 60s. Furthermore, there's a good medical service, the local ambulance station is located in Torrox, and the hospital in Velez is a 15 minute drive so, doable by taxi if your FIL isn't driving any more. The idea that families do all the care for elderly and dependent relatives is a myth. The Spanish have some of the longest working hours in the EU, they simply do not have time for a start.
If your parents want to stay in Spain they can expect really good care. I suppose it depends where one lives, which is why I think Torrox costa would work out well for them, although it is very different from Mollina. It's a mix of traditional Spanish and 'foreigners' from all round Europe & beyond. There's good supermarkets, restaurants/bars, opticians and dentists, public transport that covers extensive routes, mobility shops, group activities, charity shops, and more. Yet, it's not big and retains a quiet, relaxed vibe. It's not hilly and has plenty of places for walking, so if their mobility declines they will still be able to get out and about. If you want to know in more detail, please PM me.

Sounds like Torrox is the place.  Where I live I see no elderly people who are not Spanish so must be, as you say, the area.  I know where to move to as I get old now. :)  Thanks!

Torrox is not just one area, there's a pueblo which is hilly and more 'Spanish'. The costa is, not surpsingly, more international and has plenty of summer visitors (mostly Spanish) so it can get busy in July & August. There's also a new development - Torrox Park - which is a bit like the modern suburban estates we see in the UK. Nice housing but a bit souless if you want a more Spanish feel. The coastal developments can be a tad generic in style but they are all quiet and relaxed, and easily accessed. I think the municipality has something for everyone, which means there's a diverse population, as well as good amenities. I like it, anyway!

Hi not sure where you are looking butcwe have used Primrose Estates in Sabillinas and they ate excellent. Lynn is the owner and is extremely supportive. Tell her Tracy and Lee recommended her and she covered most vosstal areas. We ate in Duquesa and love it there. Her number is 

Many thanks for the replies and apologies for the delay in replying; We have shared this post with the in-laws and they too are grateful for the replies.

Kerri - thanks for your thoughts and personal experiences. We too have experience of elderly relatives, and the constant concern for scams. We also have the same concerns for my in laws. They are not ready to come home, and really I think that the weather would bring them down, We would have to rethink if the situation changes, but for now we think Spain is the best place for them.Thanks for your offer to speak to your friend. We may well take you up on that, but they have a couple of options at the moment and we are hoping one of these comes to fruition. 

pricklyone - Again thanks for taking the time to respond. It was encouraging to see your thoughts on care for the elderly, and gives us more comfort that there will be support if/when the time comes. We have seen evidence of the medical service out there and have been impressed by what we saw. Your vote for Torrex is noted and appreciated, and as with Kerri, we may take you up on your offer of a pm

tdoug - Thanks for your vote for Primrose Estaes. They don’t seem to have anything at present, but I have dropped them an e-mail

Once again we appreciate your taking the time to reply.

Your welcome.  Wishing you all the best and do not hesitate to ask this Forum for help.  We are have a pretty nice group on here.

Thank you for that, it's nice to be appreciated. Don't hesitate to ask if you need more info/help.