Progressive Help that Makes a Distinction

Estimated studying time: 6 minutes

Firstly, I need to say welcome again in case you are studying this and sorry that I haven’t written a information article for a very long time. Time simply will get away from us typically doesn’t it. It may be laborious to really feel such as you’re being productive, however I feel simply staying properly and taking care of one another is an accomplishment. I’ve loved wanting again at my information articles from final 12 months and realised that I did actually take pleasure in writing them.

I had a really inspirational week final week, in addition to going to London for the FDM Everywoman in Expertise Awards dinner as a finalist within the Tech for Good class, I used to be in a position to enter Aberdeen for an occasion and catch-up with folks I haven’t seen since earlier than the pandemic.

On this week’s instalment, I’ll present perception into:

• A brand new facility in Aberdeen to assist showcase the methods through which expertise will help folks to keep up their independence in their very own properties.
• The work of the wonderful Pasna Sallis and her Weekday Wow Issue programme that gives digital experiences to assist preserve folks properly.
• A complete new approach for folks to entry psychological well being help on the excessive avenue.

Aberdeen Residing Tech House

I had the pleasure of attending the opening of a brand new Residing Tech House on the Specialist Useful resource Options (SRS) workplaces in Aberdeen on Friday final week.  The brand new house showcases among the use instances and methods through which shopper digital off-the-shelf tech can profit folks.  There have been additionally a spread of apparatus gadgets from Bon Accord Care on show giving concepts of much more ways in which folks could be supported at house.  What was actually beautiful is that they’ve laid out the house so it feels actually homely. There’s additionally a bigger empty house set-up to trial the VR tech from Oculus after which two workplace desks for doing digital care visits/calls.  With the thought being that with the folks being supported extra snug utilizing tech, then 1-2-1 help is also given remotely.

The house is a follow-on from the Scottish Care pilot to see if devoted Care Technologists (CTs) inside organisations can enhance outcomes in care.  They’re additionally taking a look at whether or not these sorts of digital roles may assist to enhance employees retention via upskilling and releasing up time for the extra human features of care.  I feel the hope is to get follow-on funding to do a extra quantitative piece of educational analysis into this.  SRS created two new Care Technologist roles to discover how expertise might be utilized in care provision to enhance the standard of life for the folks supported.

Throughout the occasion we heard some highly effective tales concerning the seemingly easy ways in which tech has been making a distinction.  We’ve seen this in our personal work, that typically it actually is so simple as somebody with the ability to activate the kettle for themselves, or take heed to their favorite music, or name a beloved one.

I beloved attending to see the brand new house and speaking about Alexa as there have been numerous applied sciences with voice help embedded throughout the room, together with a really good espresso machine which I may have so as to add to my want listing!

It makes such a distinction for folks with the ability to see issues in context and to strive issues out in an surroundings that feels relatable.  That is undoubtedly going to be a priceless useful resource for Aberdeen metropolis and the encompassing areas.

I used to be additionally excited to listen to that Scottish Care are taking a look at establishing a nationwide group to share learnings between organisations of how good house tech can be utilized in care.

Weekday Wow Issue

I first met Pasna final 12 months over Zoom, our paths had crossed at a web-based networking occasion and we related on LinkedIn. Her work is wonderful and I really like how she actually focuses on the person, tailoring and adapting actions for everybody to take pleasure in. She arrange the Weekday Wow Issue in 2017 as a option to convey thrilling, enjoyable leisure actions to older folks in the course of the day when services similar to cinemas, night time golf equipment and bowling alleys would have quite a bit much less prospects.  The actions have a number of societal advantages in addition to offering a possibility for folks to socialize.  However it was in the course of the pandemic that the Weekday Wow Issue has actually had the most important affect, with Pasna transferring actions on-line and providing digital experiences “strolling” round new cities, “biking” the world over and plenty of extra enjoyable adventures. Her iconic daytime discos are actually again due to the relief of the covid restrictions, you’ll be able to take a look at the Weekday Wow Issue web site by clicking right here to get extra details about methods to be part of within the enjoyable each in particular person and on-line.

The rationale why I needed to put in writing about Pasna this week is that she has been invited to No 10 Downing Avenue to the Celebrating the Better of Scotland reception subsequent week in recognition of her work. This can be a big achievement and totally deserved.

Psychological Well being on the Excessive Avenue

The very last thing I needed to speak about was from an article I learn lately: https://www.mylondon.information/whats-on/whats-on-news/head-room-cafe-mental-health-22785653

Head Room is a brand new café and co-working house in London, specifically designed to help psychological well being and cut back social isolation.  They provide an area for folks to construct new relationships and participate in a spread of programmes and occasions. Throughout the pandemic in addition they have been instrumental in serving to to guarantee that folks may get on-line. Head Room has been created by psychological well being charity Jami to assist folks to entry help providers and take away the stigma of psychological sickness.  It’s a secure and welcoming neighborhood house that focusses on peer help and celebrates range.

I feel that we’re going to see extra of those sorts of revolutionary wellbeing areas on our excessive streets as a option to strengthen communities and to behave as a hub the place communities can thrive via a shared sense of objective.

There are such a lot of folks on the market obsessed with supporting others in revolutionary methods.  Their drive to make a distinction typically appears superhuman and I’m massively impressed by all of the those that I’ve met on my journey into tech.  There’s additionally one thing extremely particular while you discover a synergy between two folks that may amplify the work that you’re doing.  I like to champion and shine a light-weight on initiatives like those I’ve written about on this week’s weblog.

I’m actually so thrilled that we’re lastly seeing a extra joined up strategy to delivering tech help in care.  I couldn’t be happier that Pasna is being recognised for all of the work that she has accomplished in the course of the pandemic to maintain folks related and energetic, she is a really particular human being. I additionally love the thought of making areas that are simply accessible which can be designed to spice up wellbeing and normalise how we see psychological well being.

I’m hoping that I can sustain with the running a blog often no less than till the Easter holidays, when we have now a visit away to Loch Lomond within the caravan to stay up for, as it’s my brother’s lengthy overdue marriage ceremony after two years of covid restrictions.

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