Innovation-in-Europes-Cities_Bloomberg-Mayors-Challenge1

WinnersBarcelonaGrand Prize Winner1,620,243Population (2012)0.27%Population growth per annum(2009-2012)€22,720GDP per capita (2013)0.49%Annual GDP growth (2003-2013)Winning proposalSpanish andCatalanOfficial languagesIndirectlyelected mayor(four-year term)Metropolitan governanceVincles BCN: building a social medianetwork to support senior citizensBarcelona, Spain estimates that one in four of itscitizens will be over 65 by 2040. The citybelieves that dependence on fragile informalnetworks results in an increasingly isolatedageing population. This not only reduces qualityof life, but also creates a healthcare burden:lonely individuals are more likely to develophealth complications. Vincles BCN: CollaborativeCare Networks for Better Ageing aims to use acustomised social media application on webenabledtablet computers to more tightly connectthe senior population. Vincles means ‘social ties’in Catalan – ties to family, caregivers, neighbours.While many existing initiatives across Europefocus on tapping into local support networks inorder to reduce the isolation of the elderly,Vincles adds to this by providing a dedicated citywideplatform that facilitates the activation ofthese existing networks in a way that significantlyincreases the well-being of – and support for –both the person being cared for and their carers.By connecting older citizens to informal andformal caregivers at scale, the project has thepotential to support other vulnerable individuals,and also to be exported to other cities.The capital of Catalonia and Spain’s second city,Barcelona is internationally recognised for itsdynamic and forward-looking governance, whichhas pioneered innovation since the mid-1980s.Despite being hit by the recent economic crisis, thecity has, over the last three decades, transformedits economy into one of Europe’s most productive,capable of attracting foreign direct investment. Ithas also actively promoted entrepreneurship andtourism. In 2014, it became the first EuropeanCapital of Innovation.VisionAccording to Josep Mari, Barcelona’s Directorof Social Innovation Projects, when BloombergPhilanthropies launched the European MayorsChallenge, the city was already exploring thepotential use of Vincles to build a stronger carenetwork for its ageing population. Barcelonabelieves isolation is a fertile breeding ground forpoor health, and plans to use Vincles to distributehealthcare across the city’s population, thusreducing some of the associated costs of caringfor the aged. With its human-centred approach,the social initiative stood out as a project that“puts people at the centre of technology-basedinnovation,” by creating care networks made up ofinformal and formal caregivers for the elderly. Itwas also recognised that Vincles had the potentialto encourage synergies between public health andsocial service units, effectively networking localgovernment departments that frequently operate inisolation.ImpactCurrently, 20% of Barcelona’s population isover 65 years old. As people age, their socialconnections weaken, as peers pass away and asmobility decreases. Vincles aims to make socialnetworks more robust by connecting elderly peopleto individuals who are physically close to them, likefamily members and neighbourhood volunteers.It also uses the same tablet-based platform (whichalso supports video calling) for professional care,thus reducing the burden on walk-in facilities andproviding more regular monitoring. Evidenceshows that loneliness, often related to isolation,increases the likelihood of developing healthcomplications, including depression, dementia andobesity. Sharing care of the elderly across familymembers and community members increases thepotential for contact.ImplementationBarcelona’s project is designed to keep costs downby negotiating bulk discounts with tablet providersand encouraging neighbours to share Wi-Fi. Thecity also plans to identify individuals who findadopting technology difficult and link them toformal and community-based systems of support,which might include ‘second-degree access’ (e.g.going online with a relative). The Vincles appwill be available to anyone who requires it but theprogramme targets citizens over 65 who live alone.It will take three years of usability testing andpiloting before Vincles scales up to support 20,000citizens with tablets and free connectivity.TransferabilityThe challenges associated with an ageingpopulation extend far beyond Barcelona. ManyEuropean countries are ‘getting older’ as birth ratesdecline and people live longer. In Europe, fertilityrates are generally below the replacement rate, andthere is an insufficient supply of migrant workers –meaning that the dependency ratio across Europeis on the rise. In Spain, it is projected that by 2050every 10 taxpayers will support nine economicallyinactive seniors. This places enormous strain onfunding welfare benefits, particularly pensionsand health care, threatening their very viability.To encourage other cities to engage with theseproblems, Barcelona will license Vincles and offerits services to national and international municipalgovernments.34