In Puerto Rico, adults aged 60 or older who need economic support can request a form of child support from their adult children and other descendants through the Prospera program, attached to the Administration for the Support of Minors (ASUME). ASUME administrator María del Mar Mateo Meléndez explained the program on Friday on Entérate with Milly Mendéz, saying it seeks to guarantee that older adults receive the support they need according to their particular circumstances.
The help does not have to be economic; it can also consist of care and other forms of support. Each case is evaluated individually, considering the descendants’ capacity and the older adult’s needs. The process begins with mediation to establish how the responsibility will be distributed, and if no agreement is reached, ASUME can go to court to request a support order.
Mateo Meléndez acknowledged that some seniors still fear asking their children for help, but said the program has 168 active cases over the last three years. Prospera was created by Law 168 of the year 2000.