HomeTab is a tablet-like device which allows professional care service documentation as well as managing alarms, food orders etc.
Due to demographic change in Europe, people are living longer and want to stay in their own homes as long as possible. At the moment, there is a challenge to cover all needs of an older adult with one holistic solution. Main problem lies in the ability to live autonomously and to coordinate the activities of a daily life independently. Decline in physical and psychological well-being and social isolation causing increased concerns for family, neighbours, friends and formal carers.
HomeTab is a comprehensive tablet-like device in terms of functionalities and on the other side is very simple to use. Home tab has three main devices:
a. Tablet (as a phone and multi-use device)
• Emergency call
• Service call
• “how do you feel”
• Reminder
• Calendar
• Call to relatives/friends
• Games
• Monitoring ofsmart home devices
• Speech recognition
b. Bracelet
• Emergency call
• Fall detection and alarming
• Activity monitoring
• Geo location
c. Wireless sensors
• Different 3rd party sensor detection and management
The main stakeholders are:
• Professional organizations offering home care services at home
- Patronage service
- Health centres
- Relatives
• Other local social and health organizations
The main beneficiary are older adults who are independently living at home.
Resources needed
There is not estimate what is a financial resource needed to set up a complete service in one region. It depends on set of factors where number of users and system of existing health and medical services are two main.
Evidence of success
- 400 end-users fast respond to become the test users
- There is a strong interest in this solution in more than 20 countries
- Technology is properly working
HomeTab is key element in organizing and transferring data at professional e-health and e- social services. It is also a great tool to be connect to friends, relatives, volunteers etc. At the moment the HomeTab is just at start and is estimated to reach its full potential in 5-10 years.
Potential for learning or transfer
HomeTab is one out of many technology devices developed for older adults, which very good meets end-user’s needs, is reliable and very simple to use. Good practice offer several opportunities for learning like:
- how to include end-users,
- how to work with research institutions,
- how to proper evaluate prototypes
- how to be in constant touch with the final beneficiaries and the whole value chain.
The good practice can be transfer also by adopting current solution to country/local needs.
At the moment the large scale pilot of 400 users are running in 4 EU countries (Slovenia, Austria, Italy and Netherlands). The output of large scale pilot shall detect final corrections especially in terms of expectations and demands in different EU countries. After the final tuning of the product the plan is to offer the product globally.
Tags: Ageing, Community, Health, Services, Technology
