The only way forward from here must be to assume that broadband coverage will match the requirements by the time any official government initiatives are activated.
Anyone keeping tabs on any developments during the year will no doubt recall the emergence of the Older and Bolder campaign, the aims of which are described thus in the website:
“The Older & Bolder Campaign is a joint initiative between a number of organisations who are working to achieve a better quality of life for older people throughout Ireland. These groups include Age Action Ireland, Age & Opportunity, Irish Senior Citizens Parliament and The Senior Help Line. The campaign also has the support of the Irish Hospice Foundation, which promotes the hospice philosophy and supports the development of hospice care. The campaign is also supported by a broad network of organisations dedicated to the provision of services, information and activities for older people.”
Up to the formation of Older and Bolder the individual organisations have been pursuing the cause separately. A position paper (Towards a National Strategy for Older People, by Professor Eamon O'Shea, Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI, Galway) has been prepared for the campaign (11/06) and is accessible on the website here.
The position paper is a wide-ranging document and for the purposes of this blog I have extracted some relevant items that would broadly cover the focus of this study.In particular, I am, therefore including the following in total:
“Independent Living
One of the central aims of any new National Strategy should be to promote independent living for all older people. In a nutshell, public policy should seek to ensure that older people live in their own communities for as long as possible.
In this context, action will need to be taken in relation to improving:
_ Choice and flexibility in social care provision;
_ Access to public transport – both in urban and rural areas;
_ Social connectedness to family and friends;
_ Availability of the meals-on-wheels service;
_ Availability of home help and home care services;
_ Suitable barrier-free, technology-supported housing, including sheltered accommodation with support services.
Finally, as part of the National Strategy for Older People:
_ Older people, both locally and nationally, need to be involved – through proactive consultation – in the development of the Strategy;
_ A new National Partnership Forum for Older People should be established to oversee the development and implementation of the new National Strategy for Older People;
_ A dedicated Minister for Older People and a National Older People’s Office need to be put in place to drive the implementation of the Strategy at governmental level;
_ An Ombudsman for Older People’s Office should be established to provide independent oversight.”
Again, for the purposes of this study, I have highlighted some of the key issues. Perhaps the most important item on this list is that referring to having a dedicated Minister in place to drive the Strategy, much as referred to earlier in this study regarding the extension of broadband throughout the country.
As regards a strategy for Seniors and ICT the trick is to begin immediately with basic systems and to keep it simple. In other words, it is not necessary to wait for elaborate studies and surveys; such studies belong later in a later phase concerning telecare facilities. A number of the points listed in the above extract from the Older and Bolder strategy align easily with the direction of this blog.
As regards ICT the task of the person appointed by the government can be simplified as follows:
Standard Basic System
Introduce a grant system for purchase of computers by seniors, to an established specification sufficient for their needs.
Introduce an immediate incentive for seniors to take up broadband, along the existing guidelines used for benefits such as the Telephone Rental Allowance.
Introduce a basic training schedule for seniors covering the essentials of internet access. The training given should include later access to support systems, including localized voluntary input.
Note:
From my experience in this field I would suggest that
the Citizens Information Board is currently the best
equipped to set-up and run such a system. The Position
Paper refers to the need for a ‘proactive programme of
Information Provision’, a role already a function of
this board.
Advanced systems
Again assuming by this stage there is widespread availability of broadband and a basic system is up and running it would be logical to begin having a look at telecare facilities.
The following U.K. website provides an outline of typical telecare facilities, as follows:
“Telecare services can be as simple as a telephone-based community alarm, which responds to emergencies and makes regular telephone contact to check on well-being.
According to need, telecare can also include the provision of monitors and detectors. These could be triggered when, for example, a person falls or has a seizure; or when gas or smoke is detected, so that appropriate help can be provided. Monitors can also detect such problems as intruders or bogus callers, and summon help. Technology can also help to prevent problems: for example, a spoken reminder to turn off the cooker can help prevent a kitchen fire; or a bed sensor could turn on the light when it detects a person getting out of bed in the night, thus helping to prevent a fall.
A service that is often referred to as "lifestyle monitoring" can be incorporated. Tailored to suit individual circumstances, the system relies on a series of movement sensors in strategic locations around the home, which build a log of the user's movements as they go about their daily routine. Carers can then quickly identify any changes in habitual behaviour that may be indicators of deteriorating health or increasing mental confusion.
A client's medication regime can be monitored remotely: for example, the PivoTell automatic pill dispenser has an integrated interface that enables it to link with the call centre-based services, as part of a telecare package.
A further development of telecare is telehealth or telemedicine, where the user's vital signs (such as blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar levels) can be monitored remotely, often with their collaboration. This development is important in terms of earlier hospital discharges; better management of long-term medical conditions without the need for hospitalisation; earlier warning of problems with a change of medication, for example.”
Anyone keeping tabs on any developments during the year will no doubt recall the emergence of the Older and Bolder campaign, the aims of which are described thus in the website:
“The Older & Bolder Campaign is a joint initiative between a number of organisations who are working to achieve a better quality of life for older people throughout Ireland. These groups include Age Action Ireland, Age & Opportunity, Irish Senior Citizens Parliament and The Senior Help Line. The campaign also has the support of the Irish Hospice Foundation, which promotes the hospice philosophy and supports the development of hospice care. The campaign is also supported by a broad network of organisations dedicated to the provision of services, information and activities for older people.”
Up to the formation of Older and Bolder the individual organisations have been pursuing the cause separately. A position paper (Towards a National Strategy for Older People, by Professor Eamon O'Shea, Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI, Galway) has been prepared for the campaign (11/06) and is accessible on the website here.
The position paper is a wide-ranging document and for the purposes of this blog I have extracted some relevant items that would broadly cover the focus of this study.In particular, I am, therefore including the following in total:
“Independent Living
One of the central aims of any new National Strategy should be to promote independent living for all older people. In a nutshell, public policy should seek to ensure that older people live in their own communities for as long as possible.
In this context, action will need to be taken in relation to improving:
_ Choice and flexibility in social care provision;
_ Access to public transport – both in urban and rural areas;
_ Social connectedness to family and friends;
_ Availability of the meals-on-wheels service;
_ Availability of home help and home care services;
_ Suitable barrier-free, technology-supported housing, including sheltered accommodation with support services.
Finally, as part of the National Strategy for Older People:
_ Older people, both locally and nationally, need to be involved – through proactive consultation – in the development of the Strategy;
_ A new National Partnership Forum for Older People should be established to oversee the development and implementation of the new National Strategy for Older People;
_ A dedicated Minister for Older People and a National Older People’s Office need to be put in place to drive the implementation of the Strategy at governmental level;
_ An Ombudsman for Older People’s Office should be established to provide independent oversight.”
Again, for the purposes of this study, I have highlighted some of the key issues. Perhaps the most important item on this list is that referring to having a dedicated Minister in place to drive the Strategy, much as referred to earlier in this study regarding the extension of broadband throughout the country.
As regards a strategy for Seniors and ICT the trick is to begin immediately with basic systems and to keep it simple. In other words, it is not necessary to wait for elaborate studies and surveys; such studies belong later in a later phase concerning telecare facilities. A number of the points listed in the above extract from the Older and Bolder strategy align easily with the direction of this blog.
As regards ICT the task of the person appointed by the government can be simplified as follows:
Standard Basic System
Introduce a grant system for purchase of computers by seniors, to an established specification sufficient for their needs.
Introduce an immediate incentive for seniors to take up broadband, along the existing guidelines used for benefits such as the Telephone Rental Allowance.
Introduce a basic training schedule for seniors covering the essentials of internet access. The training given should include later access to support systems, including localized voluntary input.
Note:
From my experience in this field I would suggest that
the Citizens Information Board is currently the best
equipped to set-up and run such a system. The Position
Paper refers to the need for a ‘proactive programme of
Information Provision’, a role already a function of
this board.
Advanced systems
Again assuming by this stage there is widespread availability of broadband and a basic system is up and running it would be logical to begin having a look at telecare facilities.
The following U.K. website provides an outline of typical telecare facilities, as follows:
“Telecare services can be as simple as a telephone-based community alarm, which responds to emergencies and makes regular telephone contact to check on well-being.
According to need, telecare can also include the provision of monitors and detectors. These could be triggered when, for example, a person falls or has a seizure; or when gas or smoke is detected, so that appropriate help can be provided. Monitors can also detect such problems as intruders or bogus callers, and summon help. Technology can also help to prevent problems: for example, a spoken reminder to turn off the cooker can help prevent a kitchen fire; or a bed sensor could turn on the light when it detects a person getting out of bed in the night, thus helping to prevent a fall.
A service that is often referred to as "lifestyle monitoring" can be incorporated. Tailored to suit individual circumstances, the system relies on a series of movement sensors in strategic locations around the home, which build a log of the user's movements as they go about their daily routine. Carers can then quickly identify any changes in habitual behaviour that may be indicators of deteriorating health or increasing mental confusion.
A client's medication regime can be monitored remotely: for example, the PivoTell automatic pill dispenser has an integrated interface that enables it to link with the call centre-based services, as part of a telecare package.
A further development of telecare is telehealth or telemedicine, where the user's vital signs (such as blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar levels) can be monitored remotely, often with their collaboration. This development is important in terms of earlier hospital discharges; better management of long-term medical conditions without the need for hospitalisation; earlier warning of problems with a change of medication, for example.”
Older users can be much better informed than ever before and thus increasingly take charge of their own health, fitness and independent living with the help of information on the Internet, and an ICT-enabled daily life.
Much research along these lines has taken place throughout EU and many projects are already on trial or are operating permanently.
An essential component of this research is the development of ICT products and services that will target the progressive impairments associated with age.
As an example this site ICTs supporting independent living lists a number of typical studies and applications, including some Irish projects, e.g. Age-net.
Awareness and Activity at EU level should spur further development at Irish government level. See recent EU Press Release.
Recent establishment of the TRIL Centre is encouraging in the long-term, however, as indicated previously, much can be done immediately, rather than waiting perhaps years for research results.
A survey programme among people such as public health nurses and other community workers whose work takes them in regular contact with the target clientele could implement such a service, perhaps on a pilot basis.In the long-term, a fully operational programme in the future will introduce, for authorities – cost-reductions, increased efficiencies and overall quality in health and social care systems.
1 comment:
Even though a lot does come back to the government to make a program like this work, I'm sure that someone will listen to the need. So long as it looks like enough people care about the matter.
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