Scalability of the ‘Como en Casa’ care model in residential care homes for older people: determining the cost per place

‘Etxean bezala’ is a pilot project developed within the framework of the State Strategy for De-institutionalisation towards a New Community Care Model. Designed by the Matia Foundation, it aims to transform care in residential centres for older people by creating personalised, homely and rights-based living environments; organised into small living units and supported by a profound review of physical spaces, the culture of care, a community-oriented approach and professional practices.

As part of the project, the economic feasibility of transforming residential centres for older people using this model was analysed, and this article presents the study carried out to calculate the cost per place.

To this end, the specific cost elements that represent a change from conventional care models are identified. Quantifying these differences makes it possible to estimate, to a reasonable degree, the difference that implementing the model entails in terms of cost per place.