Playa del Carmen Plans Shelter for Homeless Seniors as Cases Rise

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Municipal authorities in Playa del Carmen are working to open a shelter for homeless older adults after the family development agency (DIF) reported a rise in the number of elderly people living on the streets.

The agency has counted about 30 such cases across the city’s neighborhoods since the current administration took office.

The plan was announced during a breakfast organized by the CROC union’s Quintana Roo chapter to mark the Day of Older Persons.

Eduardo Asencio, honorary president of Playa del Carmen’s DIF, said the city does not yet have a shelter, unlike Cancun and Chetumal. “We are still in talks; nothing is confirmed, but we are working on it,” he said.

Asencio said compiling a reliable census of homeless seniors is difficult because many are part of the city’s floating population.

DIF social workers are also helping older adults reconnect with relatives and support networks. Most come from other states, and search records have helped locate their families, Asencio added.

Regarding the Club del Adulto Mayor senior center, Asencio said maintaining the building’s infrastructure remains a challenge, particularly restrooms and plumbing. Mayor Estefanía Mercado has already completed renovations of those areas, and further work is planned on the palapa and floors.

The Casa del Adulto Mayor in the Gonzalo Guerrero neighborhood will continue to receive upgrades with support from civil society groups and local business owners, he said.