Andorra Red Cross Telecare Service Grows 42% to 774 Users, Adds Advanced Watches
The program now serves 711 at-home users and 63 with mobile geolocalized watches, aiding elderly monitoring and emergency responses. Plans for automatic fall detection and family alerts are set for pilot testing this week.
Key Points
- Andorra Red Cross telecare service grew 42% to 774 users by end of 2023, with 711 home-based and 63 using mobile watches.
- Over 250 users have fall detection add-on; service supported 800-1,000 interventions last year.
- Users average 82 years old, including 6 centenarians; 469 live alone.
- Pilot testing this week for new watches with automatic fall detection and family alerts.
Andorra's Red Cross telecare service reached 774 users by the end of last year, reflecting a 41.76% increase since 2020.
The programme now includes 711 participants in home-based telecare and 63 using mobile geolocalised watches introduced in 2024. These watches help monitor elderly people who often leave home, improving emergency responses. Service coordinator Antoni Calvente described the system's performance positively since its launch in the Principality. User growth added 228 participants over five years, with about 80% of home telecare users also obtaining the watches.
More than 250 users have adopted the fall detection add-on for home telecare, supporting SUM paramedics and firefighters in 800 to 1,000 interventions last year. Over 500 benefit from the free key custody service, allowing quick medical access during urgencies. Most 2025 alerts involved falls, discomfort, or physical pain, while staff also handle calls from those feeling lonely, anxious, or depressed.
Users average 82 years old, with six centenarians aged 100 to 102—five women and one man. The service covers 30 people with disabilities or cognitive issues under the Fundació Privada Tutelar, around 30 individuals aged 50 to 60 with serious illnesses, and 70 vulnerable residents subsidised by Social Affairs. Some 469 live alone.
The Red Cross plans enhancements for mobile telecare, featuring a new geolocalised watch with automatic fall detection that triggers without button activation. A pilot test starts this week, with possible rollout soon if results prove positive. The device could also offer family geolocation via a mobile app, including safety zones that alert relatives and the Red Cross if crossed. If suitable for Andorra, this functionality might launch within months.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: