The power of technology
Linda Milton, chief executive of Waltham Forest Housing Association and ERoSH trustee, looks at how technology is empowering older people's lives in the 21st Century.
One of my last roles as Chair of ERoSH was to get involved in the Silver Surfer of the Year 2005 awards, where ERoSH partnered with City & Guilds, Hairnet and NIACE to judge the entries. This was a welcome invite for ERoSH to be involved, simply because we hear through our membership that more residents are 'logging on' and finding a whole new way of life through 'surfing the net'.
The competition, which takes place annually, is open to people over 50 and highlights good IT practice in whatever the setting: ERoSH waskeen to involve its members as there is a growing number of sheltered schemes that either have a PC that is used by residents or in some cases have their own cyber cafes, thus increasing the accessibility of the internet. As a judge, I read some amazing entries where technology had empowered residents' lives and had made a dramatic change to them and others too: advice on cancers; accessibility for those with disabilities; prevention of addictions and of course, keeping in touch with friends and family while making new ones too!
The extent that the use of technology was changing people's lives was quite incredible! Although the competition has now been judged, the second phase of the project starts soon; Friday 27 May is Silver Surfers' Day. It is an annual event which aims to allow older people (anyone over 50) to find out how the power of the internet and email can enhance their lives. Details can be found on www.silversurfersday.org
Technology is not only a tool for leisure and entertainment. Telecare's potential is increasingly being recognised to help provide future housing and care solutions to the demographic challenges that face our society. Telecare has the potential to re-shape the delivery of older peoples' support services, enabling changes to an individuals' health or environment to be detected and monitored remotely. No one doubts for a minute that telecare will be increasingly prescribed as part of an individual's care package; evidence increasingly suggests that telecare products can enable older people to remain living in their own homes for longer, maintaining their independence and freedom of choice.
Telecare is one of the issues being addressed in the 20/20 consultation document, part of The 20/20 Project which ERoSH is co-sponsoring. We are urging sheltered housing professionals - from frontline staff to chief executives – to respond to this unique consultation, which has the backing of nine national housing and care organisations and charities. Responses will be collated to form a vision for older people's housing and care services in the 21st century and will be taken forward to local and central government. There is still time to respond and for further details, visit http://www.shelteredhousing.org/members/membership/campaign.php
This article originally appeared in Property People magazine, the independent voice of housing. Visit http://www.ppmagazine.co.uk
