FAQs
Who can benefit from the VinclesBCN project?
Anyone who:
- is aged 65 or over;
- is a registered Barcelona resident;
- feels lonely;
- can use a tablet and is motivated to use the service, and
- speaks Catalan and/or Spanish at a high enough level to use the service correctly.
- is aged 65 or over;
- is a registered Barcelona resident;
- feels lonely;
- can use a tablet and is motivated to use the service, and
- speaks Catalan and/or Spanish at a high enough level to use the service correctly.
How do you apply for the service?
Anyone who wants to take part and who meets the profile can go to their primary care centre (CAP) or social services centre. They can also call 010 or 900 844 252, or fill in this contact form.
What does taking part in VinclesBCN mean for the family and friends who get involved?
The chance to communicate more often and easily with the senior citizen using ICTs, send text messages, photos and videos of people and places they like, chat with the user and see them more often, keep in touch with them and make them feel they’ve got company.
Do you need to have a tablet to take part?
In some cases, the City Council lends service users a tablet with an internet connection and the VinclesBCN application installed. In other cases, the users themselves already have a tablet or smartphone, as well as an internet connection, enabling them to receive the service.
The user’s family and friends will have to download the VinclesBCN app to their smartphone.
The user’s family and friends will have to download the VinclesBCN app to their smartphone.
Is there any contact between the family and social services?
It is the senior citizen who invites their family and friends to take part in the service. Families and friends can make suggestions, complaints and/or express appreciation using the following contact forms. For more information, download our User Guide
What happens if a user has problems with the tablet or the app?
There is a free, exclusive helpline available for users (900 844 252 – from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, except holidays), to help resolve problems and get the necessary technical support and information about the service.
How are senior citizens using the service monitored?
A team of professional VinclesBCN-group social workers and animators provide individual and group support for users. We will make sure that users can use the app and are keen to take part in the project before they start using the service. There will also be a periodic personalised follow-up.
How do users learn how to use the VinclesBCN application?
In addition to individualised attention from the team, users receive in-person group training, where everything they need to know in order to use the tablet and the VinclesBCN application is explained to them.
