Grupo Catalana Occidente joins forces with startup Cuideo to improve the quality of life of its elderly customers

"Customers of Seguros Catalana Occidente, Plus Ultra Seguros and Seguros Bilbao can receive dependency advice, continuous home care and an innovative personal remote assistance device "

Grupo Catalana Occidente has signed a strategic agreement with Cuideo, a leading home care company in Spain, to expand services for the elderly. With this new alliance the insurance group is strengthening its commitment to innovation, focusing on providing solutions for families in the face of the challenges of increased life expectancy and the ageing population.

Clients of Seguros Catalana Occidente, Plus Ultra Seguros and Seguros Bilbao will be able to receive advice from the unit free of charge, in addition to purchasing, on a pay-per-use basis, an innovative personal telephone assistance device and professional help at home at advantageous prices.

The dependency advisory service is available to insured persons at no cost. Through a free telephone number, social health care experts at Cuideo work with the interested party to diagnose the needs of the elderly person. Based on the results obtained, these professionals advise and accompany the customer in seeking the assistance under the Dependency Act or offer them options to suit their circumstances.

Another of the benefits is the possibility of purchasing an innovative GPS remote assistance device that offers greater autonomy to the elderly person both inside and outside the home. Its features include: an SOS button, which directly contacts directly the startup contact centre; an automatic fall detector, with technology capable of identifying any impact; geolocation, so that family members and caregivers know where the person is; and emotional support through a speak and listen system, among others.

Should the elderly person require assistance at home, the option of continuous home care is offered. In this case, Cuideo seeks the best carer profile, taking into account the needs and activities of the person to be cared for. The platform handles all the arrangements, ranging from advising on the hours and tasks of care, paperwork with the Social Security Institute, and the carer's pay, which is provided by the customer. The service is also monitored and, should a caregiver not continue, they are replaced free of charge.

These services are available with the Bienestar sénior policy, a product that Grupo Catalana Occidente designed to respond to the needs of a sector of the population that wants access to a quality healthcare system at an affordable price.

Strategic alliance of Grupo Catalana Occidente

According to a study carried out by Cuideo and ESADE, more than 60% of the population is prepared to insure their dependency, but only 20% of insurers in Spain offer specific products. This collaboration is in line with the Grupo Catalana Occidente strategy to offer its elderly customers the most comprehensive service.

The general manager of the traditional business of Grupo Catalana Occidente, Juan Closa, stated that "this agreement is a strategic alliance that will allow us to offer new insurance solutions for the elderly and, thus, to be closer to this important collective." He added that "as an insurance group we cannot ignore the challenges of increased life expectancy, which is why we are committed to promoting the optimum health of this group by working on new benefits from specialised companies."

Cuideo is a platform for the elderly in the dependency and home care sector. Currently, it has 10,000 customers and has been helping families to manage professional carers for over 5 years, with a focus on improving the lives of the elderly.

The general manager of Cuideo, Roberto Valdés, said that this collaboration coincides with a peak in the ageing population. Spain has 12.3 million elderly people, 18% of whom are dependent. "Looking to the future, these figures will only go up: according to studies, in 2050 Spain will have one of the oldest populations in the world: it is estimated that 46.4% will be over 60 and 3.64 million will be dependent. This reality is approaching and we must have the necessary services in place," Valdés concluded.