Alma provides housing and shelter to 32 older adults

Published August 20, 2024

ALMA is one of the more than 100 civil associations that operate in San Miguel de Allende and that, like most of them, emerged thanks to the initiative of foreigners more than 30 years ago.

ALMA was started by Carmina Casas and Margaret Galowey, one Spanish and the other Canadian, who joined a group of San Miguel de Allende residents with the idea of providing a home for homeless elderly people.

The space, dedicated to the care of the elderly, was established in 1993 with only five small rooms and a kitchen that were built on land donated by the municipal government, with the financial contribution of Nemesio Diez.

“Currently we have a capacity for 50 people, with a dynamic in which we can have people in private rooms. The goal, and hopefully one day we will achieve it, is for the asylum to be self-sustainable,” said Norma Bautista, operational director of the place.

ALMA currently provides shelter to 32 elderly people, 70% of whom cannot afford to pay a full fee, so its main source of income is donations, a monthly sale and the rental of orthopedic devices at low cost.

They receive homeless older adults who have no family or resources, elderly people from low-income families who need care due to dementia typical of their age, and elderly people who have resources and require a space and can pay for their stay and care in the municipality.

The site provides medical care, physiotherapy, food regulated by nutritionists, gerontological care and cognitive and recreational activities; it also has a palliative care area to provide a good quality of life to residents, who are attended 24 hours a day by the 22 members of the team that works there.

Gerardo Araiza is a perfect example of this. He entered the facility 7 years ago in a wheelchair and with no hope of walking again; however, physiotherapies lifted him up and now he is able to fend for himself. He expresses that he is very happy at ALMA because he is even in charge of changing the calendar, a task he performs daily at 6:30 in the morning.

During this month, which celebrates the elderly, the nursing home collects diapers of all kinds, since most of the residents use up to 1,600 diapers per month. In addition, they receive donations in kind and in cash, providing tax-deductible receipts.

ALMA. Home for the elderly needy of San Miguel

Carmina Casas 69, Frac. The Lejona. San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. Mexico 37765 415 152 7210 info@asiloalma.org

ALMA is a nonprofit which provides care and accommodation for elderly-in-need. In support of its mission it takes donations of clothing, books, household items, electronics, costume jewelry, etc. and offers them up for sale CHEAP! at 10 AM on the last Saturday of each month (except Dec.) You never know what you’ll find @ALMA, but it could include fine designer men’s and women’s cloths, shoes, vintage silver jewelry, popular contemporary and classic books, furniture. ALMA is situated in La Lejona, adjacent to Mega, one block off calle Vicente Araisa, behind the bright blue Seguro Popular clinic and next to the construction site of expanding medical services. Our van picks up and drops shoppers off by Cafe Monet on the Ancha / Calle Codo at regular intervals Saturday mornings. The Alma number for pick up is:  415 152 7210 The person’s name is Norma