Estepona activates a 24-hour care service for home assistance users

The City Council of Estepona has launched a free 24-hour telephone service for users of Home Assistance, currently covering 730 users who have recognized degrees of dependency or are in vulnerable situations, as reported this Monday by the Social Welfare councilor, María Aguilar.

Thus, the councilor highlighted that the user support center is one of the novelties included in the new contract for the municipal Home Assistance service, where users can make "inquiries" or report any type of "incident" throughout the year.

Aguilar emphasized the “importance” of this service provided by the City Council “not only from the perspective of companionship but also with other means we provide and have expanded,” noting that the majority of users are “elderly individuals who need support and their families as well.”

She recalled that the Home Assistance Service (SAD) is a social benefit granted and funded by the Andalusian Regional Government and managed by the municipalities within the framework of the Dependency Law. The goal is “to assist people with limited autonomy or in a vulnerable situation who need support at home, to maintain their usual residence with suitable living conditions within their family and community environment.”

The service saw an “increase” in the number of beneficiaries in 2025, ending January with “a total of 730 registered compared to the 665 at the end of the previous year 2024, among users of the dependency law and the coordinated plan,” she indicated.

Regarding the profile, the councilor detailed that the majority in Estepona is “a woman between 80 and 89 years old,” according to last year's activity report. She specified that of the total number of people served, 68% were women compared to 32% men, with the majority aged between 70 and over 90 years.

Digital Services

Another improvement soon to be introduced, already in its initial testing phase, is “the implementation of the VERA project, Virtual Social Center, an innovative platform for providing digital care services.”

As the councilor explained, it is “a proprietary technological development driven by the service provider, aimed at helping the elderly stay active and connected with society at large and meeting all their needs”.

This way, “it enables their interaction while preventing potential physical and cognitive deterioration, through a wide range of services, such as a virtual day center, lifestyle monitoring, fall sensors, communication systems with family and friends, and recreational activities, among others,” she added.

Technical Assistance

Furthermore, the City Council has highlighted other improvements made to the service, such as the increase in technical assistance equipment that facilitates users' movements in their homes, like “electric orthopedic cranes up to 180 kilograms, 30 articulated lifting beds with railings, anti-decubitus mattresses, 40 shower and toilet chairs with wheels, and mobility aids such as walkers, crutches, and canes, among others.”

Additionally, she noted that “shock cleanings have been increased and there is an additional economic fund of 60,000 euros, 1,200 additional annual pedicure and manicure services, and an equal number of podiatry and hairdressing services.”