The Office of the Elderly was created in response to the high demand of elderly people in Pitrufquén in order to operationalize the public policies created to guarantee the respect and fulfillment of the rights of the elderly, contribute to active and healthy aging, and advocate for the rights and needs of elderly through various existing programs.

During the first year of its installation in 2018, the Office of the Elderly assisted about 400 elderly people, both urban and rural, Mapuche and non-Mapuche. The Office’s work during the first year has helped guide the development of actions to enable the elderly to remain autonomous within the community and improve their quality of life through the promotion of their rights.

According to the Annual Operational Plan, the following actions are carried out:

• Applications for collective and individual competitive funds
• Psychosocial support (by spontaneous demand or by referral from other municipal units and public or private institutions, at local and regional level)
• Support and advice to the Community Union of Major Adult Clubs (UCAM) of the Commune
• Organizational strengthening
• Cultural and heritage activities
• Social activities
• Tourism
• Recreational activities
• Political and environmental empowerment of the elderly
• Finally, the office deals with social cases in which it seeks to provide solutions to older people with high social vulnerability or of lower income.