Effective Gerontechnology Use in Elderly Care Work: From Potholes to Innovation Opportunities

Abstract

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT), including safety alarm technologies, is increasing. Its influence on service personnel in elderly care has implications on the possibilities of rooting technological innovations into care work. Human impact assessment methodologies have been employed to assess competence related to technology use, needs for orientation into technology use, and well-being of care personnel. Safety alarms are considered useful both for actual care work and for the administrative part of the care organization. Care personnel appear not to be fully informed as to technical characteristics and the resulting organizational changes. At individual and work community levels, regular human impact assessment of new technologies may stimulate their adoption by the professional carers. This chapter is based on empirical research in a large research and development project in Finland. The research focused on safety telephones and high-tech well-being wristbands. Potholes (problems and shortcomings) lying in safety alarm systems were identified – taking into account the technology as well as services and organizational networks. The potholes may also be looked into as sources and opportunities for potential future innovation. Social, organizational, process and marketing innovations – combined with technology – are significant parts of the innovation activity related to the aging of the population.

Appendix: Methodology

The empirical research focused on eight workplaces of care personnel, of which seven were blocks of service flats (sheltered accommodation) and one was a unit providing home care. Financing was public (four cases) or other (four cases: foundations and nongovernmental organizations). Some of the organizations included were eager to try out new technologies, others were not for or against, while some resisted new technology use or had very little experience so far. The workplaces were located in different parts of Finland and employed 7–60 persons from different professional groups (mainly assistant nurses and nurses). The care workers focused on had both permanent and temporary employment relationships. Altogether, 78 workers were targeted in their relation to current and future use of safety alarms. The customers were given a traditional safety telephone or a high-tech well-being wristband (Vivago WristCare) that automatically monitors the user’s activity level 24h a day by measuring micro- and macro-movement, skin temperature, and skin conductivity. It contains a manual alarm button, but will also trigger an alarm if and when the user is unable to do so. If desired, the system also provides an automatic notification when the wrist unit is removed or reattached (Fig.32.1). The wrist unit continuously monitors its own performance, automatically transmitting alarms of any connection problems.

Effects of use of safety alarms were investigated with the help of human impact assessment methodologies that were originally developed for the planning of physical environments. They consist typically of four phases (1) identification of different types of impact by filling in forms, discussing, and/or interviewing, (2) assessment of significance of the different types of impact, (3) planning concerning weakening or strengthening the different types of impact, and (4) drafting action plans [16, 17, 21]. From May 2005 to September 2006, eight impact assessment processes were undertaken in the care organizations by three researchers. A typical assessment process lasted for approximately half a year with several assessment events.

There was only one man among the professional carers involved, as the workplaces were female-dominated. The share of older employees over 45 years of age was fairly large. The employees participated in the assessment processes by filling in pre-prepared forms in groups of 2–3 employees, or individually in certain cases. They also participated in subsequent discussions on the results of the assessment. Questions asked related to the linkage (impact) of technology to health (including perceived health) and to social effects, such as trust and commitment, time use, information flows and network collaboration [9], attitudes and disagreements, feeling of participation, meaningfulness of work, need for training, services, economic situation at the workplace, and other possible types of impact (image of the workplace, and private life of the professional). Results were analyzed qualitatively.