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Technology in care homes

The past decade or two has seen some massive changes in internet usage. By 2017, 90 per cent of UK homes had an internet connection; that’s up from 57 per cent ten years ago and just nine per cent in 1998. Almost nine in ten adults use the internet at least once a week, whereas in 2006, just 35 per cent of us were using this technology regularly.

Aside of emailing, which is still the most widely used purpose of the internet, reading online news, internet banking and social networking have become popular functions, and buying goods online has increased by 24 per cent since 2008.

Along with the proliferation of the internet at home has come a wide range of additional technologies, many of which rely on the internet to function. Things like ‘smart home’ technologies, voice-controlled assistants and more are gradually creeping into our everyday lives as we realise the benefits and time saving capabilities of these.

However, the internet is not just for the younger generation, and neither are these complementary technologies. Four in ten over 75’s are using the internet regularly, so it only makes sense that care homes look at how these innovations can benefit their residents too.

Using technology in our care home

We make use of a number of great technologies in our homes, such as tablet devices for our residents and Playlist For Life which allows residents to listen to their favourite music and reminisce. Through adoption of tech, we are able to:

  • Spend more time caring: Much of our record keeping and administration is now done digitally. This streamlines the process and frees up our assistant’s time to spend more time with residents offering care, company and support.
  • Stay in touch with families: With Wi-Fi, we can help resident’s keep in touch with family and friends. We use Skype, Facetime, and email, and help our residents to benefit from these services too.
  • Research with our residents: When a resident wants to know something, we’re pleased to introduce them to the wonders of Google. From finding recipes to gardening tips, we help them to discover new information and answer questions using the best of modern technology.
  • Be entertained: We use Sky TV, so our residents can choose from documentaries, reality TV, entertainment or whatever they fancy. There are also a range of on demand programmes, so they’re never short of something to pass the time.

As technology moves on, so will our facilities. We’re excited about what’s around the corner for technology in care homes and are always assessing what’s on offer to see how it could improve our service. As with any form of technology, these are always designed to complement our care, not to replace is, as nothing is quite as beneficial as the human touch!

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