Survey: Using Telecare for Older People In Adult Social Care
Researchers based at the Social Care Workforce Research Unit at King’s College London are conducting a programme of research funded by NIHR/SSCR into Local Authority telecare use for older people. The research has HRA ethical approval and is supported by ADASS and the Housing and Telecare LINs.
The study, which is known by the acronym UTOPIA (Using Telecare for Older People in Adult Social Care) will explore factors that promote and hinder the successful use of telecare in social care settings for older people. The survey is intended for completion by a local authority lead manager for telecare, or, if telecare services are provided by an external commissioned organisation, by the commissioning manager or an equivalent person within this external organisation. Findings will be shared with all participants and stakeholder organisations, including ADASS.
What’s the purpose of this research?
The study is designed to explore factors that promote and inhibit the successful use of telecare in adult social care settings for older people. It’s focused on older people because they are the largest group of social care users and because the UK population is ageing, the number of older people who will need health and social care services in the future will increase. It aims to find out
- What help telecare is intended to offer to older people in areas served by local councils where it’s used.
- How telecare is used in practice in older people’s homes.
- What information people think adult social care departments should be collecting (if any) to enable them to tell if telecare is working well for people who use it.
Findings will update those of the 2014 ADASS telecare survey but also provide new information about how telecare services are being developed nationally, and should help local authorities use telecare more effectively.
If you would like to know more about the study, contact the lead researcher, Dr John Woolham, at [email protected].
Visit the survey here.
