Telecare in Spain: how to apply, what it covers, what it costs
Public telecare exists across Spain, but each region and town council runs it in its own way. Here are the two ways to apply, what it usually covers today (including GPS watches), and three checked examples.
Telecare is that button (on a pendant, a bracelet or, more and more, a watch) that connects the person to a call center open 24 hours a day. Spain's Dependency Law (Law 39/2006, article 22) defines it as a service that responds immediately to emergencies and also to situations of insecurity, loneliness and isolation. Public telecare exists across Spain, but there is no single office for it: regions, provincial councils and town councils run it, each with its own requirements. Here's what you need to know, with three examples checked on October 15, 2026.
The two ways to apply
- Your town council's social services. This is the most common route for an older person who lives alone. You book an appointment at the social services center that covers your address, a social worker assesses the case and, if it fits, you're enrolled.
- The Dependency Law. If the person has (or applies for) recognition of dependency, telecare can be part of their Individual Care Plan (Programa Individual de Atención, the service plan assigned to them), either on its own or together with home help.
They usually ask for your DNI (Spanish national ID card), proof that you are registered as a resident (empadronado) in the municipality, some health or social report, and income details, because in many places what you pay depends on your income. And almost always, have the details of a couple of contact people who have a key to the home ready.
What it includes today
The classic setup is a red button connected to a unit at home: you press it, the call center answers, assesses what's happening and alerts your family, sends its mobile unit or calls 112, Spain's emergency number. They also usually call from time to time to see how you're doing and remind you of appointments. Many services now offer more: bracelets or pendants that detect falls, GPS watches with an SOS button for when you're out, and smoke or gas detectors.
Three examples, with their figures
Madrid (city)
According to Madrid City Council (June 30, 2026), its Advanced Telecare serves about 130,000 people a month. Since January 1, 2026 it is free for people over 87 and for those with an income per person below 614 € a month; from January 2027 it will be free from age 85. Everyone else pays a fee based on their income. Besides the button, more than 40,700 people use a bracelet or pendant with a fall detector, and more than 13,100 use a GPS watch with SOS.
Barcelona (city and province)
According to 3Cat (updated September 3, 2025), in the city of Barcelona it can be requested by, among others, people over 75 with a dependency resolution, or people with a disability certificate showing they need a third person's help or have reduced mobility, as long as they are registered in the city and live alone most of the day. Social services assess the case. In the rest of the province, the Diputació de Barcelona provides it together with the town councils, and it serves 117,000 people. In the rest of Catalonia, it is each province's provincial council that provides it.
Andalusia
The regional government runs the Andalusian Telecare Service (Servicio Andaluz de Teleasistencia). According to its information sheet (August 2022 edition), it can be requested by people in a dependency situation who have it in their plan, people over 65 with the Tarjeta Andalucía Junta sesentaycinco card, and people aged 16 to 65 with a disability of more than 65%. You can apply by phone at 900 920 029 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 22:00, according to that sheet), online through the website of the Agency for Social Services and Dependency, or by mail. Since the sheet dates from 2022, check the phone number and cost before you apply.
The rest of the regions
The route is the same: your town council's social services center. They will tell you whether the municipality, the provincial council or the region provides it, and what it costs. If you're getting the runaround, also ask about the dependency route. And if you're in a hurry, private telecare exists too (Red Cross, alarm companies and phone companies), with a monthly fee. We cover it in locating an older person with their consent.
What they don't tell you
- It depends on power and phone lines. During the blackout of April 28, 2025, 3Cat reported the case of an 89-year-old woman in Barcelona who, two days later, pressed the button and heard that the number didn't exist. Ask what happens if the power or the line goes down, and test the button from time to time.
- The button has to be worn. A pendant on the bedside table is no use in the bathroom.
- It's for the home. Unless you get a GPS watch, it doesn't cover you outside the house.
How to complement it with an app
Telecare and a family app don't compete: the first connects you with professionals, the second connects you with your people. Many families have both. In Mi Estela, an older person can use Senior Mode (large text, few buttons), send an “I'm okay” that all their children see at once and, if they turn it on, the gentle check-in, which alerts whoever they choose when they have been still for many hours. And when they're out, their children can see that they've arrived. It doesn't replace telecare or 112. The full comparison: telecare vs. a family location app.
Sources
- BOE: Law 39/2006, on the Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care for People in Situations of Dependency (article 22)
- Madrid City Council: free advanced telecare for people over 85 from 2027 (June 30, 2026; accessed October 15, 2026)
- 3Cat: telecare after the blackout, how it works and who can apply for it (updated September 3, 2025; accessed October 15, 2026)
- Junta de Andalucía: Andalusian Telecare Service, general information (August 2022 edition; accessed October 15, 2026)
