The high temperatures experienced by Andalusia during the summer particularly affect the elderly, people with disabilities and those in dependent situations. For this reason, from June 6 (when the campaign began) to July 31, the Andalusian Telecare Service has managed a total of 954 calls in the province of Almería (20,693 in all of Andalusia) with recommendations to prevent the effects of high temperatures and to reinforce the monitoring of its users during heat alerts.
In addition, for the first time this year 2024, SMS has been introduced as a useful tool to convey the different recommendations to users of the telecare service, thus reinforcing prevention work. By the end of July, a total of 21,503 messages had been sent via mobile devices (392,102 in Andalusia), which are becoming increasingly widespread among the elderly population.
The staff of this public Telecare service of the Ministry of Social Inclusion, Youth, Families and Equality offers recommendations in collaboration with the Andalusian Plan for the prevention of the effects of excessive temperatures on health, launched by the Ministry of Health and Consumption.
Throughout the summer, information and recommendations will be provided to telecare users regarding high temperatures, such as avoiding going out during the hottest hours of the day and staying in the coolest places in the house. It is also very important to stay properly hydrated, for which it is recommended to drink water even if you are not thirsty, juices and cold drinks (without alcohol). A balanced diet and closing windows and curtains during the day are other recommendations that are usually given.
The Andalusian Regional Government’s telecare service, managed by the Andalusian Agency for Social Services and Dependency (ASSDA), offers continuous care 24 hours a day to people over 65 years of age, people in a situation of dependency and people with disabilities. Among those assisted, there is a majority profile of people over 80 years of age (the average age in Almería is 82), who are considered to be a group more sensitive to excessive heat in the environment.
Another feature worth highlighting about the profile of people who are served by this telecare service is the high percentage of people who live alone (58% in the province of Almería), and some of them even have no contacts to turn to in case of emergency. Loneliness combined with advanced age makes them an even more vulnerable group to high temperatures.
For this reason, during the days in which an orange or red alert is reported due to a heat wave (information provided by the State Meteorological Agency) and in order to reduce the risks in population groups that present greater complications after suffering heat stroke, special monitoring is carried out on people in those regions or municipalities in which high temperatures have occurred.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year
The Andalusian Telecare Service allows its more than 15,600 users in the province of Almería (more than 272,000 in all of Andalusia) to maintain verbal contact 24 hours a day, every day of the year, with just the push of a button. This service is aimed at people over 65 years of age, people in a situation of dependency or with disabilities who require some kind of help, providing them with company, security and rapid attention in case of emergency, as well as support for families, promoting the reconciliation of family and work life.
The service currently handles an average of 1,000 calls per day in the province of Almería (17,000 in all of Andalusia), which represents more than 193,000 calls handled since the beginning of the year (3.6 million in Andalusia). Of the total number of calls, 65% are “outgoing” calls, that is, calls made by telecare professionals to monitor users, or to mobilise resources in case of emergencies, to notify family members or contacts in case of need, to provide information of interest, to remind a medical appointment or to update their data in order to guarantee a quality, effective and efficient service.
On the other hand, 35% are calls that beneficiaries make to the service by pressing the button on their Telecare device. A significant part of these calls are made for contact or conversation, hence the important role that this service plays in alleviating situations of loneliness and social isolation. Users also contact the service for emergencies or other health service demands and to request some type of information on social benefits.
Andalusians can request the Andalusian Telecare Service or obtain information on the website of the Andalusian Agency for Social Services and Dependency https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agenciadeserviciossocialesydependencia/index.php/m-teleasistencia