It is commonplace…
Most of us now use digital know-how in a roundabout way in our daily lives. Whether or not it’s doing our weekly meals store through an app on the cellphone, carrying a watch to trace what number of steps we’re taking every day, or a utilizing a sensible speaker to remind us to take the roast out of the oven on time!
It’s no totally different within the grownup social care sector and infrequently the identical applied sciences and devices we use at house can be used to assist how we look after individuals. However when this on a regular basis tech is packaged up as “care know-how” it may well really feel a bit intimidating and technical.
In our work to assist the digital transformation of the grownup social care sector we need to be sure that we preserve the concentrate on the distinction know-how could make to individuals’s lives and the way care is delivered. Utilizing know-how to assist care shouldn’t be daunting. And also you undoubtedly don’t should be a tech-whizz to have the ability to use it. In case you are utilizing a sensible cellphone in your day-to-day life, then utilizing know-how to assist care is not any totally different.
Going again to the units we could already be utilizing at house, cell phones and tablets have already discovered their place as invaluable instruments to assist individuals in remaining linked with households and family members. They can be used to set treatment or hydration reminders or to handle repeat prescriptions.
There are additionally many apps which can be utilized to assist communication, together with the extra subtle eye-gaze and touchscreen applied sciences enabling individuals to precise their needs and wishes and be accountable for how they’re supported.
Exercising thoughts and reminiscence
Digital options to assist memory, in addition to art-based options, equivalent to music remedy, are useful in supporting individuals with studying disabilities or these dwelling with dementia. Even enjoying video games on a pill is a method during which know-how can incorporate therapeutic approaches into care routines.
There are lots of methods embedding on a regular basis know-how into care planning can play a component in supporting individuals.
These approaches to utilizing know-how in care settings can ship large outcomes, however what about options requiring extra funding in time or funds?
Options supporting supply of care embody important indicators monitoring, falls prevention and detection applied sciences. We’re seeing robust proof across the function these applied sciences play in protecting individuals secure and stopping hospital admissions, however there’s lots to suppose by way of.
With this in thoughts, we need to assist CQC (Care High quality Fee) registered suppliers in making choices about which care know-how options they may select to spend money on. We lately introduced the launch of our technology fund. The funding will assist suppliers to check and undertake care applied sciences that deal with native priorities, by offering implementation and analysis assist to develop an proof base to prioritise which applied sciences have confirmed advantages for the sector.
Built-in collaboration
We’re working with native built-in care techniques to handle functions to our Grownup Social Care Know-how fund, which can concentrate on:
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Care high quality and security (together with secure discharge from hospital)
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Avoidable admission/re-admissions to hospital
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Help for individuals to stay independently.
We all know know-how is more and more enjoying a major function in how care is delivered. Get it proper and know-how will help allow excellent high quality and personalised care, empowering people, their households and carers.
To search out out extra about how our care know-how funding assist may provide help to please get in contact by emailing england.adultsocialcare@nhs.net.
This text initially appeared in Caring Times Might version.
