Home Assistance to the Elderly and Disabled Via Remote Telecommunication

Social and Emergency Assistance Via Remote Unit in Homes

Social and Emergency Assistance Via Remote Unit in Homes
Of Elderly and Disabled - Free Service

Home Teleassistance Service in Lugo Province (Spain)

By Ana Fernández Sangil – Health and Social Coordinator for a Euxa Servicios Sociosanitarios S.L. in Lugo Province (Spanish Company)
(unedited)

Lugo is a Spanish province located in the northwest of Spain. The population is 91.426 in 2005, of which 23.770 are older than 65 years.

Dealing with the Spanish Government survey about disabilities, deficiencies and health conditions, in Spain there are more than 967.000 people, older than 65 years of age, who have a serious dependence. In Spain, the Social Services development level, specially in dependence situations is below the European average. The United Nations, in its population studies, predicts that Spain will be one of the largest elderly population over the age of 65 by 2050, so the number of dependent people will increase.

The elderly cares are assumed by the family in the 76,6 % of the cases. By the Social Services only the 2,6%.

The Home Teleassistance Service is a free Service to the users because it is subsidized by Spanish government to the whole nation. In Lugo Province we have 2108 users; of which, 1636 are women and 449 are men.

Home Teleassistance is a permanent home assistance multi service (24 hours a day, 365 days a year), which provides personal attention for the whole family, the elderly, the disabled, people who live alone, high-risk patients, etc., and which acts immediately, at the push of a button, on any type of need or eventuality that may arise in the user's home, mobilising the human or material resources necessary for dealing with it.

Teleassistance allows us to provide the best possible service for any eventuality, without the user having to lift the telephone receiver, or remember policy numbers, addresses, telephone numbers, etc.

Via the system, the user can have "hands free" communication with a permanent service centre, by just pressing the portable button and requesting the help they require.

To make the call, the user must press the button on a device (the Teleassistance Unit) which he always has on him in the form of a medallion or a watch.

The signal emitted by this device is received by the Teleassistance Unit, which is installed in the user's home and which has a very sensitive microphone and a wide range (around 40 metres). The microphone detects and transmits the signal to the Permanent Service Centre.

The call is received and the conversation begins. All of the information necessary for dealing with the situation is displayed on the computer screen: personal details, relatives, doctors, contacts... which makes the professional's job easier. The necessary human or material resources are then mobilised and contact is maintained with the user until the situation is under control.

This way, the user feels safety, quietness and support in view of fear, loneliness and social isolation produces. Another aim that Home Teleassistance pursuit is the fact that this Service avoids unnecessary hospital admissions allowing the continuance in the home environment.

02/22/06