The social and health care sector is experiencing an unprecedented transformation. Person-Centered Care (PCC), Living Units, talent retention, and artificial intelligence are redefining the way we care. In this context, technology is no longer a complementary resource but an essential tool that enables more personalized, safe, and organized care.
We spoke with Rafa Villegas, Commercial Director at ISECO—a Valencian company specializing in technological solutions for social and health care centers—about how digitalization is revolutionizing the sector and making it easier for both large and small centers to provide more efficient, person-centered care.
What are the most relevant changes the social and health care sector is experiencing?
Without a doubt, we are at a key moment, marked by changes that are redefining the sector’s operations. We are moving from reactive models to more preventive ones, with greater coordination among teams, more personalized care, and a work organization aimed at freeing up time for direct care. Added to this is a higher demand for quality care, an aging population with more complex pathologies, and professionals under constant pressure.
Technology has been decisive in this process. Today, it allows us to centralize information, automate tasks, better manage alarms, and have real-time data, making safer, more organized, and person-centered care possible.
How is Person-Centered Care (PCC) applied through technology?
Person-Centered Care and Living Units become tangible when the center stops organizing itself solely by tasks and starts doing so with people in mind. On a day-to-day basis, this means the professional knows who they are caring for, their preferences, their history, and their care plan. With touch devices in rooms or digital tools like Calas App, they can access that information and record care at the exact moment it is provided, adapting each intervention to the real rhythms and needs of each resident.
This facilitates much more coherent and personalized care, improves team coordination, and allows for earlier detection of any physical or emotional changes. Furthermore, in Living Units, technology works discreetly, helping to maintain quiet environments that feel more like home, where safety is guaranteed without being invasive.
By eliminating paperwork and unnecessary travel, professionals gain time to be present, listen, and accompany. And that is where Person-Centered Care makes sense in daily practice.
Can technology help retain talent?
Absolutely. Staff retention begins by offering conditions that reduce stress, improve organization, and avoid the feeling of always “putting out fires.”
When a center has systems that allow them to customize alarm operations, automate records, locate information in seconds, or eliminate repetitive tasks, the professional feels their work has more meaning. And that is a very powerful retention tool.
Technology does not replace the professional; it gives them back time and quality of work life.
How do you choose the right technology for new living models?
It has a direct impact. Older people today—and those to come—want to live differently. We are seeing living projects that combine privacy with services, more flexible models, and environments that seek autonomy and security.
Each of these models needs technology adapted to how it works. For example, in senior living or cohousing, discreet monitoring through sensors can detect falls or unusual changes in a resident’s activity without invading their privacy. Centralized service management helps coordinate dining, cleaning, or activities according to needs. Access control ensures residents can move freely and safely. And integration with care platforms makes all information available in real time, improving coordination and personalized care.
So, the key is that technology does not impose a model, but adapts to it.
What value does AI bring to elder care?
Artificial intelligence has enormous potential, but it needs to be applied practically. It is not about replacing anyone, but about offering information that was previously impossible to manage.
Today, Artificial Intelligence can help predict fall risks, identify patterns of deterioration, prioritize tasks, classify incidents, or process information automatically. And this has a direct impact on prevention, safety, and center organization.
As professionals in the technological field, our obligation is to apply it responsibly, always guaranteeing ethics in information management, personal data protection, and respect for residents’ privacy, so that AI is always at the service of people and adds real value without compromising their privacy or dignity.
Can small care homes compete in social and health care digitalization?
They shouldn’t be left behind, and we must prevent that. Digitalization is not a luxury for large groups; it is a necessity for any center that wants to work safely and efficiently.
Small care homes can also benefit from modular solutions, agile implementations, and tools adapted to their size. In fact, they usually notice the impact sooner because any organizational improvement transforms their day-to-day life very clearly.
For example, I remember a small care home that implemented Calas App. Thanks to this mobile app, they were able to digitize tasks and records without having to change their nurse call system. From then on, the entire team could organize themselves better, avoid duplication, and, above all, dedicate more time to being with the residents and offering them more personalized care. It is a clear example of how technology can adapt to any center, large or small, and make daily life easier and more personal.
How do you see the future of the social and health care sector?
I see it with many challenges, but also with very interesting opportunities. The sector faces significant demographic changes with increasingly complex care needs, demanding more flexible and personalized care models. Furthermore, there is a growing challenge in attracting and retaining talent, as well as in coordinating between different levels of care and community services.
Well-developed and applied technology plays a key role: it helps humanize care, offer autonomy to residents, reduce team stress, and anticipate problems. But beyond technology, I believe the immediate future of the sector depends on combining innovation, training, collaboration among professionals, and a person-centered approach.
At ISECO, we believe technology should serve to care better and work better, but always integrated into a care model that prioritizes people. If we continue moving in that direction, the social and health care sector will emerge stronger and better prepared to respond to society’s needs.
