Community pilot for home care and independent living in the Canary Islands under the new Spanish Dependency Law
Implementation of a rights-based and technology-assisted model for deinstitutionalized support in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
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Executive summary: this post presents one of the first community pilot experiences currently underway in Spain to apply the provisions of the forthcoming Dependency Law, which updates national frameworks on personal autonomy, inclusion and accessibility. The law revises the General Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2006 Dependency Act to strengthen support for independent living and the right to choose one’s care environment. The project establishes a home care and support model in five ordinary residences in the Guanarteme area of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Fifteen individuals with moderate to severe dependency, including older adults, people with disabilities and women in vulnerable situations, will live in adapted dwellings equipped with assistive technologies, home automation and non-intrusive monitoring systems.
The model combines personalized physical, mental and social care with full user control over individual life plans. Early evaluations indicate a significant reduction in healthcare costs and improved autonomy, while preventing institutional confinement. The initiative will be assessed by regional social authorities and the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, generating a technical and economic guide for its replication across the archipelago by 2027.
This pilot positions EU BEACON’s colleague Cayetano Santana Gil, his foundation and the entire Canary Islands at the forefront of Spain’s transition toward community-based and technology-enabled health and social services, longevity oriented, that respect autonomy, inclusion and quality of life through the entire human lifespan.
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Villa Longenia is an ongoing work of the Fundación Canaria ALCASIV, a non-profit institution dedicated to advancing independent living, inclusive social innovation and technologically assisted care for persons in situations of dependency. The foundation promotes models that uphold autonomy, dignity and participation, developing pilot environments that anticipate upcoming legal and social transformations in Spain.
The project anticipates the creation of the new home care and support service established in Article 24bis of the forthcoming Spanish Dependency Law. It will be implemented in five community homes located in the Guanarteme neighbourhood of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Fifteen individuals with moderate to severe dependency will live in these adapted environments, including older adults, people with disabilities and women facing conditions of vulnerability. Each dwelling will integrate accessible home automation, assistive products and non-intrusive monitoring technologies, enabling residents to retain control over their daily life and care decisions.
This model replaces institutional care with an integrated system of physical, mental and social support designed around the user. It is expected to reduce healthcare costs by approximately one quarter, increase autonomy by fifteen Barthel points and prevent unnecessary institutionalisation. Validation will be carried out by the Department of Social Rights of the Canary Islands Government and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The pilot will conclude with a Technical and Economic Implementation Guide in 2027 to enable replication throughout the archipelago.
Villa Longenia aligns fully with the forthcoming Dependency Law and the findings of the 2025 assessment of the Canary Islands public social services system, which identifies deinstitutionalisation, personalised care and the development of intermediate models between home and residential care as strategic priorities. No current public or private enterprise in the region meets the requirements of this new framework. The project therefore addresses a structural policy gap through a community-based, inclusive and economically sustainable approach.
Following the pilot phase, the model will be consolidated through a concerted agreement with the Canary Islands Dependency Service and the commercialisation of its digital platform through a software licence, providing long-term financial autonomy for the Fundación Canaria ALCASIV. The experience will also inform future research on the adaptation of home care models for use in habitable structures situated in extreme or extraterrestrial environments.
General objective
To implement a replicable, rights-based and community-oriented model of home care and support consistent with the new Spanish Dependency Law and the diagnostic priorities of the Canary Islands social services system, promoting autonomy, inclusion and deinstitutionalisation.
Specific objectives
Adapt five ordinary homes with assistive devices, home automation and non-intrusive sensors in compliance with Articles 24bis and 25bis.
Develop the Villa Longenia integrated model as a 24-hour support management system under user control.
Train fifteen professionals, including social workers, caregivers and personal assistants, in the principles of independent living and human rights (Article 21bis).
Evaluate the model and produce a Technical, Economic and Quality Guide for its public implementation in 2027 (Article 35).
Assess the potential integration of an advanced home assistance robot, such as the 1X NEO.
Planned actions (2026–2027)
Co-design with users, families and professionals in early 2026.
Execution of minor works and installation of home automation and sensors through mid-2026.
Development of a digital management platform and accessible application during 2026.
Delivery of specialised training in independent living and personal assistance in the second quarter.
Welcoming of fifteen residents in the third quarter.
Continuous monitoring with quality-of-life indicators through mid-2027.
External evaluation by the University of Las Palmas and publication of the final guide in the third quarter of 2027.
Duration
January 2026 to December 2027.
Location
Guanarteme neighbourhood, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, within walking distance of the Doctor Negrín University Hospital.
Beneficiaries
Direct beneficiaries: fifteen persons with moderate to severe dependency, including older adults, individuals with physical or developmental disabilities and women in vulnerable circumstances such as isolation, poverty or recent migration.
Indirect beneficiaries: forty five family members, twenty professionals and future administrations that adopt the model.
Collaborating entities
Ministry of Social Rights, Equality, Youth, Children and Families
University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Faculty of Health Sciences
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council
COCEMFE Las Palmas
Evaluation and follow-up
Reduction of hospital admissions by thirty percent.
Improvement of autonomy measured by a fifteen-point increase on the Barthel Index.
Satisfaction level of at least eighty five percent.
At least three administrations requesting the replicable guide.
Improvement in indicators of community inclusion.
Dissemination
Public launch with press conference in January 2026.
Open technical seminar with live streaming in June 2026.
Creation of an open-access website with results and the downloadable guide in December 2027.
Acknowledgment of all collaborating institutions and sponsors in communications and media materials.
Participants will become the founding members of the first Canary Islands care model already compliant with the forthcoming Spanish Dependency Law before its formal entry into force.
Conclusion
This pilot represents a decisive step toward transforming care systems in a society facing a rapid demographic shift and the growing burden of chronic disease and disability. Across Spain, and particularly in the Canary Islands, the proportion of older adults living with functional dependency continues to rise while institutional models remain outdated and economically unsustainable. Reaching a healthier old age is no longer only a clinical matter but a social and technological challenge that requires the reorganisation of support networks around autonomy, prevention and continuous monitoring.
The Villa Longenia pilot provides evidence that community-based, technology-enabled care can deliver better outcomes in health, independence and quality of life. Its approach integrates digital monitoring, assistive devices and home automation to detect risks early, support daily functioning and connect individuals with professionals and families in real time. By combining physical, mental and social care within the home, it prevents decline, reduces hospitalisation and extends years of healthy living.
Ongoing undertakings such as this demonstrate that ageing with dignity is achievable when support is designed around the person, not the institution. The challenge is to scale this model across regions, training professionals, empowering families and ensuring public policies sustain environments that promote independence through innovation, accessibility and human rights.
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