A local report from Logroño puts an initiative by Cruz Roja La Rioja in the spotlight: the painting class run as part of the Enrédate helps older people strengthen social connections and ease the loneliness they experience as involuntary. On 17 October 2026, elDiario.es recounted the experiences of the almost 82-year-old Arnobia Mena de Carvajal. For her, the weekly gathering is “a refuge”; “Painting makes me happy,” she is quoted as saying. When there is no class, she misses the company.
Enrédate – the full name is “Red social para personas mayores” – has been run by Cruz Roja La Rioja for around 15 years. According to the organisation, its aim is to bring people aged 65 and over together for regular group activities combining practical everyday, cognitive and creative elements. These include painting classes, memory and exercise sessions, and get-togethers supported by volunteers. The programme relies on trained volunteers, who are intended to provide continuity and personal contact.
The regional approach in La Rioja emphasises proximity to participants: short journeys, familiar places and small groups. Europa Press reported on similar initiatives by the aid organisation in the region in early October, noting the aim of encouraging older people to return to public and community activities. No local figures on the number of participants reached or evaluated outcomes in La Rioja are publicly available; Cruz Roja mainly publishes robust data at national level.
In professional terms, the programme takes a preventive approach: regular, reliable meetings can counter isolation, reduce psychological distress and make it easier to access support. For local authorities, such initiatives are a low-cost way to strengthen informal networks and mitigate follow-on costs resulting from deteriorating health. Their limitations include reliance on suitable venues, regular funding and the recruitment of volunteers.
The impressions described in the report are attributed to those involved and illustrate the impact in individual cases. They also demonstrate the current relevance of the initiative in Logroño: for participants such as Arnobia Mena de Carvajal, the Cruz Roja La Rioja painting class serves as a social anchor – and as a weekly opportunity to maintain contacts and establish routines outside their own home.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).