The new home help service begins operations, with a municipal investment of almost 2 million euros.

The Torrevieja City Council, through the Department of Social Welfare headed by Óscar Urtasun, has formalized the new contract for the provision of the Municipal Home Help Service (SAD), awarded to the company ATENDE SERVICIOS INTEGRADOS, SL for a total amount of 1,936,897 euros (VAT included).

Óscar Urtasun has emphasized “the significant financial effort made by the City Council to ensure the stability, continuity and quality of a service that is an absolute priority within the municipal social care policies for the coming years.”

The contract, which began this August, has an initial duration of two years, with the possibility of a two-year extension, and will guarantee the continuity and improvement of one of the most sensitive and necessary services within the Public Social Services System. Its main purpose is to provide comprehensive care to elderly, dependent, or vulnerable individuals within their usual environment, promoting their personal autonomy and enabling them to remain with their families for as long as possible.

Óscar Urtasun pointed out that “the Home Help Service is an essential tool to improve the quality of life of dependent people and also to support their families and caregivers, offering professional, close care adapted to the specific needs of each user.”

PERSONALIZED ATTENTION IN YOUR OWN HOME

The Municipal Home Help Service comprises a set of actions of a domestic, social, personal, educational and rehabilitation nature aimed at those people whose individual or family situation requires special attention.

The services provided include cleaning and basic home maintenance, assistance with hygiene and personal grooming, support with mobility within the home, administration of simple previously prescribed medication, and accompaniment outside the home to carry out errands, attend medical appointments, or participate in activities that promote social integration.

The care will be organized on an individual basis, taking into account the personal, family and social situation of each beneficiary and the intensity of the service that has been recognized by the competent administration.

“With this contract we are strengthening a service that not only offers practical help at home, but also combats loneliness, prevents situations of isolation and provides peace of mind to many families in Torrevieja,” said the Councilor for Social Welfare.

One of the main features of the contract is that it integrates both the municipal Home Help Service and the care derived from the Law on the Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care for People in Situations of Dependency.

In this way, the service will be available to residents of Torrevieja who access it through a reasoned resolution from the City Council, after the corresponding assessment by the municipal Social Services, as well as those who have a dependency resolution issued by the Valencian Government.

This coverage will allow us to serve people with recognized levels I, II or III of dependency, guaranteeing the provision of the hours established in their corresponding Individual Care Program (PIA).

NEW FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS AT NO EXTRA COST

The offer submitted by the winning company incorporates various technical improvements and complementary services that expand the basic services established in the tender specifications, without implying any additional cost for the City Council or the users.

These improvements include the provision of 50 hours of specialized professional care annually in each of the areas of Psychology, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, and Hairdressing and Aesthetics. These services will complement home care and address needs that directly impact the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the beneficiaries.

In addition, the winning bidder provides six portable stairlifts designed to facilitate the entry and exit of people with reduced mobility who live in homes with architectural barriers.

The contract also includes a free annual pool of 1,100 regular hours and 250 holiday hours. In total, this will provide the City Council with an additional 1,350 hours each year to address emergency situations, unforeseen needs, or temporary expansions of services already provided.

“These improvements provide a very important added value, because they allow us to act more quickly in urgent situations and offer more comprehensive care, especially to those who have greater mobility difficulties or need specialized care,” explained the Councilor for Social Welfare.

The contract guarantees job security for the current staff through the mandatory transfer of all employees assigned to the service. The service will have a minimum team of 26 home care aides and two full-time social workers. The latter will assume coordination responsibilities and act as a direct and permanent liaison with the Torrevieja City Council's Department of Social Welfare.

This coordination will allow for monitoring users, adapting the intensity of care to the evolution of their needs, and ensuring an appropriate response to any incident.

Óscar Urtasun concluded that the new contract provides stability to the service and its professionals, expands available resources and consolidates a person-centered care model, and "the goal is that those who need help can continue living in their own homes with autonomy, protection and quality professional care."