A new digital tool allows carers to easily connect with their clients

With technology becoming embedded in all aspects of our daily life, many digital tools are being created with the aim of revolutionising the world of care.

DigitalHealth.London Accelerator company SuperCarers has teamed up with award-winning tech provider Alcove to launch SuperCarers Go – a tool to help carers interact with their clients and provide care at the touch of a button.

SuperCarers Go enables people receiving care to make or receive video calls with carers, as well as family and friends. Seeing a friendly face on a regular basis can significantly reduce feelings of isolation for those living alone, and give peace of mind to their friends and family. Video calls from carers are also a more affordable option to in-person visits. Short daily visits can be replaced by calls, allowing limited budgets to be put towards less frequent but more meaningful long visits.

From the point of view of the carer, tools like this allow them to check-in with regular clients remotely, removing the need to travel for very quick check-ups. Because this saves care budgets for longer appointments, carers are also able to deliver better quality care than when they are making rushed visits – something which research has shown is at the top of many carers’ professional wish-lists. Finally, it provides a mechanism to check-in with clients outside of visits, or send pre-scheduled text messages to make sure they remember to take medication.

Benefits

Combining care with technology in this way provides multiple benefits for carers and customers alike:

• Build trust – Many older people refuse help because they are uncomfortable with inviting someone new into their home. SuperCarers Go is a non-intrusive way of introducing them to the idea of a carer.
• Improve wellbeing – Regular face-to-face contact with a carer can help reduce feelings of loneliness, and allows the carer to identify any potential concerns from afar.
• Make the care budget go further – A video call is 40% cheaper than an in-person visit. Video and in-person visits combined will reduce costs, while ensuring actual visits are long enough to have real meaning.
• Create quality time – Carers can efficiently check in with their clients without the need to travel, which saves     precious time to be reinvested towards more meaningful long visits.

Accessible technology

These digital tools have been specially designed for people who are nervous of technology, and are therefore very straightforward to use. With simple and intuitive interfaces, these technologies are accessible to young and older people alike. Furthermore, carers don’t need to buy a tablet, and can make video calls to their clients from their smartphone or computer.

About SuperCarers

SuperCarers uses technology to match families with qualified, vetted independent carers in their local area, and provides the tools they need to coordinate care directly. This reduces the cost of care significantly, while still ensuring the carers are paid fairly for their hard work.

SuperCarers and Alcove are pioneers of independent living and share a vision to revolutionise care by using today’s consumer technology to empower people.

For more information, visit supercarers.com/go, call 020 8629 1030, or email hello@supercarers.com.