Spanish capital Madrid has selected Israeli firm Essence SmartCare to provide remote care technologies for senior and disabled citizens.

More than 100,000 seniors and people with disabilities could benefit from the remote care digital technology.

Essence SmartCare specialises in IoT-based remote care. It has announced an agreement with the Community of Madrid, a governmental region in Spain serving Madrid and the surrounding cities, to upgrade remote care services for senior citizens and disabled individuals across the region.

The contract was awarded to Essence SmartCare, together with its local branch in Madrid, Essence Interactive Center, by the Madrid community, after an evaluation of the company and its products and cloud services.

Essence SmartCare will bring remote care capabilities to most of the region’s vulnerable population. The joint initiative will establish a cohesive infrastructure for care, replacing current analogue systems used for home telecare services with Essence’s digital platform. Devices, sensors and services provide information to create a remote care management platform, expanding the possibilities of traditional red-button telecare.

The AI-enabled system aims to increase the safety of the elderly by mobilising the necessary resources tailored to their requirements.

“At Essence SmartCare, we are fully committed to delivering accessible, user-friendly and intuitive care that enhances independent living for elderly and disabled individuals, anywhere,” said Haim Amir, CEO of Essence Group. “Being selected as a trusted partner for the Community of Madrid allows us to do just that. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with the Spanish healthcare market as they turn to innovations to address the pain points they experience in care.”

In October last year, the Community of Madrid announced plans to acquire over 300,000 technological devices to implement telecare. The Minister of Family, Youth & Social Policy said in a statement: “Advanced telecare, which we hope will start operating at the end of next year, is going to represent a giant step in terms of care for dependency and in promoting the personal autonomy of the elderly in the region.”

Barak Katz, general manager of Essence SmartCare, added: “This strategic agreement aligns with our mission to elevate the standard of care with our advanced Care@Home platform, which undoubtedly ensures proactive service and early-stage intervention. Promoting autonomy, personalised care, and the ability to age in place for as long as possible, this partnership allows those living in Madrid with increased care needs to delay the need for relocation to assisted living facilities or day centres and live safely at home with peace of mind.”

Essence SmartCare will supply a range of devices, including its LTE digital hubs, wearable and contactless fall detectors, smoke and gas detection, as well as sensors that monitor seniors’ activity, all connected to Essence SmartCare’s cloud platform.