Silvia Saavedra, General Director for Older People and Prevention of Unwanted Loneliness
Department of Social Policies, Family and Equality
Madrid City Council, Spain
Abstract
As populations around the world continue to age rapidly, the need for social and health support services for older people is growing. The OECD estimates that the share of the population aged 65 and over is projected to rise from 18% in 2021 to 27% by 2050 across the OECD on average, and that employment in long-term care would need to increase by 32% over the next decade to meet the expected increase in demand for care. In Spain, Madrid City Council has deployed an AI tool to help reach and support its ageing population, with an AI-powered virtual assistant trained to assess the risk of loneliness amongst older people, and to connect them with social services.
In the fifth episode of our seminar series on AI and The Future of Social Protection, Silvia Saavedra, General Director for Older People and Prevention of Unwanted Loneliness, Department of Social Policies, Family and Equality at Madrid City Council, Spain, presented on the use of an AI-powered virtual assistant designed to reach out to older people who may be at risk of loneliness, assess their risk of loneliness, and connect them with support where needed. Silvia’s presentation was followed by a Q&A and discussion with the audience, moderated by Monika Queisser, the OECD’s Head of Social Policy.