The Fundació Pilares has recognised the care superblocks operated by the Home Assistance Service (SAD) as a benchmark model, based on proximity and personalised assistance for elderly and dependent people.
Besides giving an award, the non-profit organisation will be including the care superblocks run by the Home Assistance Service in its catalogue of good practice, which details exemplary and innovative models promoting the well-being, dignity and autonomy of elderly and dependent people.
Care superblocks
The SAD offers home help for people who are elderly, dependent or at risk, who need social and health support from professionals to carry out their daily tasks. In a move to improve care for these users, the service launched a model of assistance based around proximity: the care superblocks. The system uses small teams of between ten and fifteen workers, who attend to between forty and seventy people living in the same residential area, between three and six blocks in the Eixample district. This system enables stable care communities to be created, improving the quality of care and the labour conditions of workers.
Barcelona currently has eight care superblocks attending to 550 people. More blocks are due to be set up around the city as from next year until more than sixty teams are operating.
Home Assistance Service
The SAD provides help with hygiene and personal care, physical movement (getting up, getting into bed or walking), the care and control of diets and medication, as well as help with tasks outside the home. The SAD currently has more than 4,000 workers in Barcelona and more than 24,000 users.