This session will consider three papers looking broadly at the theme of care in housing. Join us for a great discussion around assistive technology, and housing for people with alcohol-related brain damage and dementia. The full abstracts are below.
Presentations from these authors and a live Q&A session are available to all HSA members. Book here
1. Patricia Devine Assistive Living Technology in the homes of disabled tenants in Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has investigated the use of Electronic Assistive Technology over a number of years. The rapid growth of broadband-enabled ‘smart’ devices in recent years has seen the emergence of a wide range of wireless technologies within the home. In 2017, NIHE commenced a pilot project to install a range of assistive smart technology equipment into a small number of tenants’ homes in the North-West to support tenants with disability or mobility issues. The project was delivered in partnership with the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) and Hive Studios, a Digital Community Social Enterprise. The overall aim of the research study was to evaluate the use of the technology (voice and video enabled Amazon Echo for communication and control of smart devices) designed to help those with a variety of complex needs. The technologies were customised to each individual tenant. The key research objectives considered were how the newer technologies provided an opportunity to address mobility challenges, improve home security, improve quality of life and sustain tenancies. The equipment supplied to tenants was tailored to their individual needs, depending on their level of disability. In the case of tenants with limited mobility, voice recognition allowed them to issue commands to Alexa, such as turning on/off lights, switching television channels and keeping in touch with family members. This paper will demonstrate how the Assisted Living Technology empowered individuals to perform functions, which previously they would have asked family members or carers to do. The level of satisfaction expressed by the respondents was very high and it was clear that the technology had made a very positive contribution to the lives of the tenants participating in the pilot.
2. Rhian Stone, Gareth Roderique-Davies, Bev John, Rob Heirene and Rebecca Ward Alcohol-Related Brain Damage: Housing Sector Service Development
Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD) is a spectrum of neurocognitive impairments caused by drinking too much alcohol which lead to dementia-like difficulties with memory and changes in personality and behaviour. Evidence suggests that homeless populations have a much higher prevalence of ARBD than the general population. However, the development of services to treat ARBD within homeless populations has been impeded by a poor understanding of the condition, with it often being under-recognised and misdiagnosed as well as a lack of robust evidence of need beyond the anecdotal. To address this, the Pobl Group in partnership with the University of South Wales secured research funding from the Welsh Government and the European Social Fund to undertake a large-scale investigation of: ARBD’s characteristics and Prevalence in South Wales; The diagnostic tools used to assess ARBD; and service provider perspectives on the challenges associated with treating ARBD. Sixty clinical, social and housing organizations across South Wales participated in the research allowing the research team to gain a unique insight into the challenges associated with working with individuals with ARBD, the lack of appropriate diagnosis for the condition and the lack of appropriate referral services and interventions for this potentially treatable and reversible condition. This paper will discuss the findings of this project and the impact that the research has had in informing public health policy and raising awareness of ARBD. Finally, this paper will consider the role of high-quality research evidence in the development of Pobl’s services.
3. Vikki McCall, Mari S. Berge, Louise McCabe, Jane Robertson and Kane Needham Rethinking active care environments: Comparing volunteering, housing and dementia in UK and Norway
This paper presents a comparative analysis of findings from two related projects that investigated the role and experiences of volunteers working with people with dementia using the ASUME framework (Attract, Sustain, Understand, Motivate, Environment, www.asume.co.uk). Both countries are experiencing increases in the numbers of people with dementia and with formal services under financial strain the role of volunteers is becoming increasingly important. In the UK between 2014-2017 the ASUME study conducted secondary analysis and engaged in semi-structured interviews with volunteers, carers and those living with dementia in England and Scotland. In Norway, we developed a smaller scale study that included primary survey and interviews with volunteers and those living with dementia in 3 of the 18 counties in Norway. The findings highlight interesting differences in the cultural framing of care environments. In the Norwegian context, the translation and understanding of ‘care homes’ – ‘Helsetunet’ [‘Health Yard’] – lends to a more active understanding of housing, volunteering, interaction and activity. Volunteers linked a variety of home and community settings via their support and activities with those living with dementia. In the UK, there was more emphasis on altruistic reasons for volunteering and supporting carers alongside those living with dementia. This research highlights the importance of understanding the cultural framing of care services, volunteers and staff.