Bilbao SilverLab, a project led by Bilbao City Council and Bilbao Ekintza, and implemented by SSI Group, aims to turn Bilbao into an environment where companies and entrepreneurs can test their products or services intended for the elderly. To this end, we are launching a challenge, with the aim of finding solutions to the needs relating to ageing and longevity in our city.
Specifically, the challenge is to extend quality of life at home for individuals in their natural ageing cycle. Special emphasis is placed on prevention and care, at both physical and mental levels, of the elderly, and their carers, whether or not they are family members, in order to delay, in as much as is possible, situations of fragility and/or dependence.
We seek solutions, physical and/or digital products and/or services, that are responsible, accessible and usable by the target group and/or their carers. Solutions which help to extend the time an elderly person is able to remain at home, enjoying the maximum possible quality of life, both at a preventive level (physical and/or mental), and in situations of fragility or even dependence.
To this end, Bilbao SilverLab has launched a call for proposals to select a solution that responds to the above challenge and that will be tested in Bilbao.
Benefits for the selected project:
- Possibility to test their solution for a maximum of 6 months, in a real-life environment, with potential users.
- Visibility through the communication channels of Bilbao Ekintza and SSI Group, and other collaborating partners of Bilbao SilverLab able to give coverage to the project.
- Bilbao Ekintza will award €10,000 to the selected project.
In addition, up to three of the remaining proposals will be eligible for the SSI Ekin Silver Economy consultancy-mentoring service.
Seven projects were received during April and May in response to the challenge set out. Following evaluation, six of the projects were invited to the elevator pitch phase, where they were defended before a jury made up of representatives from the group behind Bilbao SilverLab. The jury selected the winning project and the three runners-up who will receive the consultancy-mentoring service.
- Winning project: Saluta APP presented by the company Saluta Bizkaia.
Saluta APP is designed to improve the psychological welfare of carers of the elderly. Because improving the mental health of the carers helps to improve the quality of care provided. This is an app that offers different services to carers, including various resources:
‣Relaxation exercises.
‣Self-assessment tests.
‣Tips from experienced professionals.
‣Techniques for relaxation and connection provided by professionals to relieve stress, anxiety and depression.
- First runner-up: Conectad@s presented by the Alicia y Guillermo Foundation
Conectad@s addresses the ageing of the population with the creation of connected communities. This is a social and technological project which uses television sets as a tool for accessing the elderly person and offering them video calls, interactive workshops, a video library, and a reminder and volunteer service.
- Second runner-up: Escudero submitted by the company Cabediem
This is a communication channel between service providers and the elderly, offering security, confidence and proactivity in call management.
Using a mediation service, it filters certain calls from unknown agents for the user, rejecting any calls that could be potential scams or from abusive sales companies.
- Third runner-up: Vamos a cuidarnos APP (Let’s look after ourselves) from the association of the same name, Vamos a cuidarnos.
This is an app that provides information and resources for promoting self-sufficiency and an active and healthy life among elderly people in their environment. It has a simple interface that includes activities, services, well-being, news and training.
In the next stage, the winning project Saluta APP will be tested among carers over a 6-month period; the consultancy-mentoring services will also be available for the runners-up.