Opportunities for supporting Carers with new technology services
Opportunities for supporting Carers with new technology servicesPopulations are ageing - in 2007, the number of pensioners outnumbered children for the first time in UK history. But hospitals and the healthcare system are not designed to cope with caring for this ageing population. The market for in home monitoring devices is growing but these devices do not necessarily allow for those informal carers who are involved in the daily lives of those they care for. Connected devices have the potential to integrate the needs of both the carer and the cared-for and as a result open up new markets. Technology services that help the needs of carers will have a beneficial effect on those they care for.
Instrata explored the lives of carers to identify opportunities where technology can add value to helping carers provide care, enabling the elderly to live in their homes for longer, and reducing the burden both on the health services and on personal finances. In-depth individual home-based interviews examined the participants’ lives under a range of different circumstances from caring for parents, spouses, children; long term care, sudden illnesses and recovery; caring at a distance and living with the person cared for.
Instrata analysed the resultant data to discover emerging themes, insights and new opportunities for technology services. For example, carers need to have information about the services available to them, they need to know what to expect for specific conditions, they need training in how to cope with new equipment, and support for how to deal with their emotions and the emotions of the person they care for. Carers often find themselves acting as a conduit of information between healthcare professionals. They want to be part of the decision making process for treatments, included in appointments and treated with respect. Many carers or the person they cared for kept notes and log books to track care issues. Record keeping and managing appointments was essential but time-consuming and complicated.
The project built on these and other themes to generate new opportunities for products and services that can support carers in their daily life. For example, a new service could provide access to online and offline training videos including how to conduct basic physiotherapy exercises and beneficial coping strategies for carers. Currently there are 6 million carers in the UK and this number is growing rapidly. New technologies can provide potential opportunities to support carers and so support the people being cared for.
Download the report to find out more http://www.instrata.co.uk/downloads/instrata_carers_project.pdf.
Instrata, headquartered in Cambridge UK, helps organizations to evolve services and create new opportunities that deliver greater value by learning from their customers. Instrata is a recognised leader in service innovation, customer experience, ethnography and user-centered interactive design. We have an excellent track record across a variety of industries, building a significant reputation for our expertise in digital technologies. Instrata has been conducting global projects for over ten years and has worked with clients such as the BBC, BT, Microsoft, Nesta, Nokia, Orange, Oxfam, P&G, Reuters, Rim, Skype, Virgin, Vodafone and Yahoo.
Contact details:
Dr Rachel Jones: Director: 01223 301101
Email: [email protected]