Automation tackling the challenges of an ageing population
According to the INE, in 2021 there were 9.3 million people over the age of 65 in Spain, that is 19.65% of the total population, and in 2023, this is to go up to 25.2%. A large population which has an increasingly longer life expectancy and want to be able to enjoy it in the best conditions. The automatic doors sector is tackling this challenge by helping to improve the comfort, security and accessibility of buildings and homes, with special emphasis on those housing people with reduced mobility.
Men born in Spain in 2033 will have a life expectancy of 82.9 years and women 87.7 years, according to projections by the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE). This year, the percentage of people over the age of 65 make up a total of 25.2% of the whole population. An increasingly ageing population that needs to be able to live in the best conditions possible. This is where the automatic doors sector wants to make a difference. These kinds of doors provide comfort, security and easier access to buildings and homes, explains Enrique Fernández, Commercial Director of Nice Automatismos España.
For example, Fernández says that “access to gated communities is difficult for older people, as the doors are heavy and require some strength, even for people who are fully mobile”. However, “when these doors are automated, we can safely open them without using any force”. Additionally, “the technology allows us to open the door using a smartphone, giving us even more security”.
Fernández pointed out that “there are models to suit all market needs, ranging from hinged doors, sliding doors on one or two leaves and telescopic doors, to ensure better integration into the architectural ensemble without disturbing the buildings’ aesthetics”. They also don’t require any “major adaptation work”.