New technology creates the conditions for safer everyday life and less stress

The municipality of Nynäshamn wants to use safety-creating technology to increase the quality and safety of care for the elderly and people with disabilities. It has chosen to look more closely into how people living at home or in housing for the elderly can get increased opportunities to be active, independent, and safe with the help of such technology.

“Today, there is modern technology with new functionality that can provide nursing staff with continuous information about residents’ support needs. The technology makes it possible to prevent risks before accidents occur and to prevent repeated adverse events. Smart homes and smart living spaces create the conditions for increased quality of life, while also improving the working environment for healthcare and social care staff,” says Maria Wäppling, senior management consultant and e-health specialist at Knowit.

There are various digital solutions that can alert staff if a person needs support and help. In the feasibility study performed by Knowit, several examples of safety-creating technology and benefits linked to use in different forms of housing are presented. Advanced security alarms, digital locks, and digital surveillance are three relevant technical solutions:

1. Advanced security alarm systems are like traditional security alarm systems, with extended functionality such as digital surveillance, fall detection, positioning, and detection of any deviations. Such a system is based on sensors installed in each room that can detect where a resident is and what they are doing. If a person falls, staff members are automatically alerted, without the individual needing to use an alarm button. The technology makes it possible for individuals to get help faster and at the right time. For staff, it means less stress and a better overview, especially at night.

2. Digital locks are locks that do not require a traditional key to open. They can be used in various forms of housing and help people feel confident that only authorized personnel can enter their homes. In the event of any incident, it is possible to extract logs to see who has been inside a residence and when. Furthermore, the risk of keys being lost and ending up in the wrong hands is reduced. For staff, this means significant time savings, as they do not have to spend time travelling to pick up keys before visiting a person. Instead, they can prioritize value-creating work such as quality time and social activities with the people they are helping.

3. Digital surveillance means that staff can use a sensor solution to determine whether or not a person is in need of a physical check. This creates the conditions for better sleep and increases the sense of security for next of kin. Furthermore, it contributes to a better working environment by saving night staff a great deal of time and decreasing stress, based on the experiences from municipalities that have implemented this solution.

A number of Swedish municipalities have already introduced safety-creating technology and a lot can be learned from them about supplier selection, procurement, implementation of new tools, and their effects. Within the scope of this assignment, Knowit contacted pioneer municipalities to gather information about their experiences of introducing safety-creating technology.

The market for safety-creating technology is under development and there are many players offering solutions for housing for the elderly or regular housing. Some suppliers offer complete solutions, others are geared towards one type of housing or the other, and a third group offers different solutions for different types of housing.

In order to give the municipality increased knowledge of the market and improved conditions to procure technology that matches its future needs, Knowit performed a mapping of the market. Benefits were also mapped, to provide a better overview of the costs, benefits, and risks associated with the technology.

“The decision support is intended to help the municipality make sound decisions. The risk-benefit calculations are based on what would happen if a specific technology were to be introduced, or if an entire concept were to be implemented. These calculations encompass monetary, temporal, and qualitative values which are estimates – made by the companies and operations – of the benefits that the introduction of a specific product would generate,” says Maria.

In closing, Maria adds that safety-creating technology will require continuous identification and management of risks linked to information security, data protection, and continuity planning. Municipalities must take account of these issues during procurement, implementation, and management of such technology.

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