Presentation at 'Smart Homecare' Conference in Paris, organised by Carer+ March 2015

1. Joe Cullen, Arcola Research
Toolkit for developing the
Digital Competences of
Carers
Carer+ Conference, Paris, March
27th, 2015

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4/2/2015
Sub-title:
“How to deliver smart homecare – the Carer+ User
Manual”
Toolkit for developing digital competences
| Target Groups:
| Policy makers
| Training providers
| Certification bodies
| Professional and informal carers

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4/2/2015
The Carer+ Narrative arc
The ToC sets out the Carer+ vision, its aspirations, what it aimed to
achieve and what are its desired outcomes and impacts
The ‘theory’ (or hypotheses and assumptions) underlying this vision
and desired outcomes and impacts
As well as the actions implemented to reach these outcomes and
impacts
a.k.a. the Carer+ ‘Theory of Change’
There are gaps in
the ICT knowledge
and skills of home
carers and care
recipients
These gaps need to
be systematically
assessed through
competence
mapping
Carers'
competences
can be
improved with
access to ICT
devices and
training to use
them
ICT access and
training leads to
an improvement
in the quality of
care provided
An improvement
in the quality of
care leads to
improvement in
the quality of life
of older people

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4/2/2015
Supporting the change journey
The Toolkit for developing the digital competences of carers
The ToC maps a journey towards a desired destination
As always in a journey the traveller expects certain things to be in
place
But in every journey obstacles are encountered along the way
Along the way, the expectations of the journey change
And when you arrive at your destination, you find it isn’t really
what you expected

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4/2/2015
Purposes of the toolkit
SO THE TOOLKIT IS INTENDED TO:
• MAP THE ROUTE
• HIGHLIGHT THE SUPPORT REQUIRED TO
ACHIEVE THE JOURNEY
• WARN ABOUT THE OBSTACES AND HOW TO
AVOID THEM
• MANAGE EXPECTATIONS
• SUPPORT TRANFERABILITY AND
REPLICATION OF THE LEARNING FROM
CARER+
What we hope to achieve with the Toolkit

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4/2/2015
Inputs to the Toolkit
Theories and Concepts (Scottish constructivism;
Feenberg)
Research (CARICT; JRC-IPTS)
Practice (Carer+ process and impacts assessment)
• Carers survey
• Carers and clients focus groups
• Observation/diaries
• Training programme evaluations
The Data and Material used to develop the Toolkit

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4/2/2015
Theories and concepts
Feenberg; Cullen; Cohen
Technical coding
Civilising Choices
Value-embedded use

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Value-embedded use
Examples from Carer+

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Research
Success factors:
The involvement of end-users (carers, elderly people and formal care
staff) as active players in the design of the services, complemented by
training in digital and care services competences
The progressive integration of ICT-based service for informal carers in
the formal long-term care system
Co-operation between stakeholders, including non-profit organisations
(third sector)
Exploitation of the existing ICT and digital inclusion infrastructure
Overcoming negative attitudes and scepticism
Scientific evidence of impacts
Efficient business model
CARICT results (Carretero et. al, 2013)

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4/2/2015
Toolkit methodology
Cultural, Social and Organisational embedding of a socio-technical system
Infrastructure
ICT-based
competence
development
Competence
acquisition
Embedding
through use
Outcomes
MESO
MACRO
MICRO
Welfare system
Policy structures
Certification systems
Learning needs profiling
Training programme
Curriculum and content
Mentoring
Adaptation to lifeworld
Adaptation through use
Carer-client interaction

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What is needed at macro
level?
• Adaptation to prevailing welfare system (Esping-Andersen) - Liberal
(England &Wales); Conservative-corporatist (Italy, France,
Germany); Social democratic (Nordic countries); Mediterranean
(Spain, Portugal, Greece); Neo-liberal (Baltic states, Slovakia);
Social corporatist (Czech Republic, Romania); Hybrid (Poland,
Hungary, Malta)
• Sensitivity to transversal EU policy discourses – SIP and social
innovation; Growth and Jobs; Mobility – promote transferable skills
applicable to other sectors
• Adaptation to prevailing certification systems – NOP programme,
Portugal; sectoral committees (Czech Republic)

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4/2/2015
What is needed at meso
level? Credible mentoring
system
Credible assessment
systemAdaptation to local
context
Time & opportunity
cost
Usability of devices

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4/2/2015
What is needed at micro
level?
Clear pay-offs for carer, e.g. improve co-ordination
with social services; improve relations with client
family; improve human relationship with client
Clear pay-offs for client, e.g. ICTs reduce time and
stress in paying bills
Embedded in client’s life world and routine
Good technical infrastructure and support
Adapt to the limitations of the care environment –
Carer+ is not an assistive technology, it is a facilitator