The document discusses how digital technologies can help support older people and their caregivers. It describes several emerging technologies like virtual assistants, internet of things devices, monitoring health with mobile phones, and exoskeletons that can help people regain movement. While technology offers benefits, challenges remain around building digital skills, costs, internet access, safety, and ensuring help for learning. The document advocates for digital reminiscence therapy and online learning and support to help caregivers. The vision presented is of personalized care driven by smart home technologies in multigenerational communities.
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Embracing the Digital Age
1. Embracing the Digital Age
Housing Futures for Older People
Care and Repair Cymru Presentation 26th September 2018
#CandRconf18 @ShirleyAyres
2. "Technology is a vital part of human existence. They
show us that the right tools, in the right hands, can
help everyone, regardless of our frailties, to achieve
our true potential and advance as a civilisation"
Professor Stephen Hawking
4. A glimpse into the not so distant future!
Artificial Intelligence enabled
Virtual Personal Assistants
and Chatbots
Personalised digital support
bundles that use a
combination of the Internet of
Things, smart meters and
dedicated devices driven by
artificial intelligence fuelled
Mobile phone based active
and passive monitoring of
health and wellbeing
Robotics and exoskeletons
to help people regain
dexterity and movement
Virtual Reality
5. Who is this mysterious tribe called the elderly?
Age is not an identity but a statistical category and older people are not one homogeneous
group but as diverse as individuals at any age.
6. The challenges for wider adoption of technology
Building a Digital Mindset
Costs
Access to the Internet
Safety and reliability
Legal certification by regulatory bodies.
A culture of learning and development
Signposting to help people easily explore what technology products and services are available
7. The value of Digital Reminiscence
Digital reminiscence therapy gives a new
dynamic to traditional methods of reminiscence
which provide prompts, such as photos, music or
familiar items to encourage people to talk about
their memories and stimulate conversation.
.
8. Support for Carers
Many carers recognise the
value of the of being able to
access the internet because
it gives them a window on
the world.
There are 6.5 million people
in the UK who support a
loved one who is older,
disabled or seriously ill and
every day 6,000 people
become carers. Many dont
know how or where to get
help.
9. How connected are you with your local community?
Digital
technology
helps people
connect and
increase their
social
connections
11. Online Learning: easy and convenient
access to support staff learning and
development
12. My #AgeingWell Vision
Personalised care driven
by the power of
technology : smart small
space with sensors, a
virtual personal assistant,
social robot and driverless
cars located in a
multigenerational
community.
15. Any Questions?
twitter: @shirleyayres
podcasts: disruptivesocialcare.com
Further information about the digital resources
cited in this presentation available in the Click
Guides to Dementia, Ageing Well and Adult
Social Care
website: http://clickguide.co.uk
Editor's Notes
#3: Digital technology and tools help us navigate an increasingly complex world but they will never replace human creativity, empathy and intuition.
#4: In the UK 38 million adults (76% of the population) access the internet every day. The digital revolution is transforming the way that people connect and how services are delivered.
Digital technology and social networks provide some of the most powerful tools available today for building a sense of belonging, support and sharing.
Public expectations of organisations using and connecting online are driven by the increasing ownership of smartphones and tablets and the use of social networks especially Facebook and voice activated platforms such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
Smartphones have overtaken laptops as the most popular device for getting online, Ofcom research has revealed, with record ownership and use transforming the way we communicate. Were spending two hours online on our smartphones every day; twice as long as laptops and PCs. Two thirds of people now own a smartphone, using it for nearly two hours every day to browse the internet, access social media, bank and shop online.
With an increasing number of web and mobile based applications from simple information to more complex care management tools digital technology has the potential to transform the delivery of care and support in communities.
#5: The research firm Gartner has predicted that 20% of our smartphone interactions will be with a Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA) by 2020, indicating a shift away from apps and towards assistants and social bots.
Everyday household appliances, mobile technology, cloud computing, machine learning and 3-D printing will be harnessed by people to support and enhance their lives and manage long-term health conditions. An example of smart devices include glasses that can increase font sizes for vision-impaired people.
From robot simians that can clean up nuclear accidents, 3D printed robotic hands, powered exoskeletons that enable you to lift huge objects, Pepper a humanoid robot with emotional intelligence robotic technologies are developing incredibly quickly. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-40306617/five-robots-that-are-changing-everything
Virtual reality is showing promise in treating pain, phobias, physical therapy, post-traumatic stress disorder and living with dementia.
#6: Technology can support independence and as importantly a sense of dignity. When our individual needs and aspirations are accepted and we feel included we are granted a sense of freedom and independence and a life filled with hope and possibility. Ageing is a long process that is not measured in numerical years but relates more to genetics, lifestyle, location and socio-economic group. Moreover, the ageing population is very diverse, with a range of interests, capabilities and lifestyle preferences.
Connecting the generations is important for healthy and resilient communities
We want to remain connected to the people, passions and interests in our lives
We do not want to be judged based solely on our age or ability
We want to have meaning and purpose in our lives
#7: Should all care settings provide internet access for residents and staff?
How do we ensure that organisations have the culture, mindset and structures to embrace change and foster a willingness to learn new skills and engage with digital technology. How can we address the fact that 11.5m UK adults lack basic digital skills?
#8: There is considerable evidence to support the benefits of reminiscence for older people, not just those living with dementia. Research shows that using reminiscence therapy also creates a stronger bond between carers and those cared for. Caregivers report a reduction in stress and improved knowledge of their loved ones whilst helping them to relive family moments and events.
Alive! Activities has pioneered the use of touch screen technology to improve care home residents mental and emotional wellbeing. Care staff get to know more about the interests, personalities and histories of those in their care and can use this information with residents outside of an Alive! session to perhaps reach them in moments of depression, diffuse a stressful situation or simply to make them smile. Residents also get to know each other better and have more to talk about with visitors. http://aliveactivities.org
House of Memories run by the Museum of Liverpool offers a free downloadable app which allows individuals to explore objects from the past and share memories and reminisce about a range of every day objects, from school life to sport. Objects can be saved to a personal memory tree, memory box or memory timeline. It can be used by anyone, but has been designed for, and with, people living with dementia and their carers. http://houseofmemories.co.uk
The Sporting Memories Foundation promotes and develops memories of sport with older fans to improve wellbeing through conversation and reminiscence. Sports reminiscence provides the opportunity to document a persons favourite sports events, teams and moments. Sporting memories provides an alternative focus for men who are reluctant to join in other group and reminiscence based activities. http://www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com
#9: It is a tough job being a carer and we have a responsibility to ensure that every carer can easily access advice and support whether that is through a website, carers group, online forum or peer support via Twitter and Facebook.
The Jointly app developed by Carers UK is an innovative and cost effective way to support carers by helping them better manage and co-ordinate care. Jointly combines group messaging with other useful features including to-do and medication lists, calendar and more. http://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/technology-and-equipment/jointly
Carers Trust offer online forums for both adult carers and young carers under 18. a facility to search online for grants and other financial assistance and Carer Smart which enables carers, people with care needs and staff and volunteers across the Carers Trust network to obtain discounts and cashback. https://carers.org
Carers UK have an online forum which provides a place for carers to share day and night. The Digital Resource for Carers brings together a number of digital products and online resources, to help organisations provide comprehensive information and support for carers. http://www.carersuk.org
Chill4usCarers is an independent forum run by volunteer family Carers and ex carers. The Carers forum provides information, news and views and the online chat room is open 24 hours a day. Chill4usCarers organises Computers4carers which provides free computers for carers. http://chill4uscarers.co.uk
Dementia Challengers was established by carers for carers to help people access information and advice about dementia. Their website guides carers to online resources including a section on finding the right technology. A new resource on the website is Arts and Dementia which lists theatre and radio plays, television programmes and films about dementia. http://www.dementiachallengers.com
#10: Digital technology helps people connect and increase their social connections. More and more local communities are now using social media to develop a cheap & easy way of connecting their residents. More organisations are now using social media to recruit volunteers and publicise their place in the community like Care Home Open Day.
Facebook is the largest social community in the world with over 1.94 billion monthly active Facebook users and 1.15 billion mobile daily active users. There are an estimated 50.5% of UK residents (33.2 million) who log onto Facebook at least once a month.
#11: There are an increasing number of organisations providing information, advice and selling products online which help people live more independently at home.
The Innovate Trust is promoting digital inclusion and creating a SMART house in Cardiff, demonstrating effectiveness, uses and abilities of technology to promote and support people within the health and social care sector which includes voice, gesture, sensor and movement activated devices that control elements of the home such as lighting, electrical sockets, curtains/blinds, heating, water, gas and electrical appliances.
https://www.innovate-trust.org.uk/news/mark-drakeford-visits-smart-house-cardiff
AbilityNet My Computer My Way is an interactive service to help adapt a computer to individual needs. AbilityNet provides a range of support to help disabled and older people get the most from their home computers, tablets and smartphones. https://www.abilitynet.org.uk
Disabled Living Foundation Living made easy, is a comprehensive website covering all aspects of independent living. They have also developed AskSARA, an online tool that guides users to relevant advice and equipment that can help them, based on their answers to questions. http://www.dlf.org.uk/living-made-easy
Spring Chicken scour the world for the newest products, the latest research and the most up-to-date thinking about well-designed products that look good and work well for older people and carers. https://www.springchicken.co.uk
Unforgettable provides practical advice and specialised products for people living with dementia and memory loss. https://www.unforgettable.org
#12: It is essential that those who care have the right skills, training and specialist knowledge to meet the needs of the rapidly increasing numbers of older people with frailty, dementia and long-term conditions.
Online learning enables people to access learning anywhere, anytime and join people from all walks of life to learn the essential skills needed to live and work in the 21st century. All you need is an Internet connection.
Dementia currently affects around one in six of adults over the age of 80s and it important that everyone supporting people living with dementia has an understanding of the disease and how it will impact on mood, behaviour and interactions.
ALISON online learning platform provides a free certificated online course Caregiving Skills - Dementia Care designed to ensure people have the skills and knowledge necessary to provide effective care to clients who have been diagnosed with dementia. https://alison.com
FutureLearn offer a range of free online courses to help people understand and care for people with dementia. These certificated courses are designed for healthcare professionals or family and friends who care for people with dementia. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/collections/dementia
SCIE Dementia e-learning course is free to use and is aimed at anyone who comes into contact with someone with dementia. It provides a general introduction to the disease and the experience of living with it. This course is designed to be accessible to a wide audience and includes a considerable amount of video footage shot by both the Alzheimers Society and SCIE where people with dementia and their carers share their views and feelings on camera. Due to be updated Autumn 2017 http://www.scie.org.uk/dementia/e-learning