The social protection system in response to multiple sclerosis in Spain. Case study of Alicante

Abstract

An increase in the attention given to the experiences around care work is taking place in the academic world due to consequences in the economy and public sector, the aging process of our societies, the new family trends and the global crisis. This article explores women struggles in long-term care with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Spain, in the province of Alicante. It focuses on the provision of care and the availability of services. In order to promote good practices in MS cases it is important to understand and explore the difficulties and experiences of affected people and their caregivers before and after the approval of the Law 39/2006 to promote the autonomy of persons in a dependence situation. The needs of the interviewed cases are described in a six year gap. The difficulties in the implementation of the law come because of delaying time periods of resolutions and real accessibility to services in this study.