This presentation was part of the learn and share events held across the country in March, 2014. The presentation was by Paul Webster, Lasa and looks at the benefits of digital technology in relation to care homes. Find out more about the Volunteering in Care Homes project: http://www.ncvo.org.uk/practical-support/volunteering/volunteering-in-care-homes Find out more about NCVO's work on volunteering: http://www.ncvo.org.uk/ncvo-volunteering http://www.ncvo.org.uk/practical-support/volunteering/volunteering-in-care-homes

1. Connecting Care
Helping care organisations and residents
with digital technologies
NCVO - Learn and Share - 31st March 2014
Paul Webster – Community Builder & Technology Consultant

2. >About Lasa
“Lasa helps thousands of third sector and
government organisations across the UK
to deliver efficient, high quality
services. We are a charity which offers
knowledge, support and resources.”
Providing impartial Technology Advice and
Welfare Rights Support
for 30 years.

3. >About You
 Type of Organisations
 Do you use IT or Digital Technology?
 Does your organisation have an IT plan?
 Do your staff … and those you support
use technology?
 Your biggest IT grumble?

4. >What is Connecting Care?
 Background to the project
 Why it is needed for small
providers in the sector
 How we are delivering the
project – The Process...
 For Care Organisations, For
Staff and for Residents
 To work with existing
networks (NCVO, NCF) &
signpost to local projects

5. >Who are we working with at the moment?
 Small independent providers of care in the
VCS
 18 so far in 2013/14
 4 Day Care Centres
 2 Independent Living Centres
 1 Supported Services Project
 3 Training, Skills and Employment Centres
 6 Residential Care Homes
 2 Home Care Agencies
 Covering all of England, most in the North

6. The Scary
Parts…

7. VCS Organisations – Concerns ?
Where to start
Knowledge / Skills
Confidence / Fear
Capacity / Resources
Broadband Access
Cost
Equipment not suitable
Websites that aren't accessible
Scepticism / Put off by jargon
… and you'll probably have more!

8. >The Scary Parts
 Large organisation not backing up any
data – client details, staff records …
 Training provider 'networking' files by sharing
a USB stick between computers in an office
 A reception PC shared by two organisations
with no security between each others files
 No budget for strategic IT replacement or even
for unexpected technology purchases
 Paper based care records, searches through
filing cabinets, manual duplication of effort
 Importance of ICT not recognised by Trustees
 Poor service by ICT Suppliers
 No ICT Support plan in place
 Emails printed for CEO with no PC

9. Finding the right tool for the task
http://nptechuk.wordpress.com/sms-links/
From Flickr – Claire Sutton and justinbaeder

10. >A 'Care Organisation on a Shoestring'
 Have a website - 1st place people look for org
 Planning what you want to do with technology
 Taking everyone in organisation along with you
 Finding funding (or free solutions) for it
 Supporting and Sustaining – On line support
communities and resource
banks
 Free Tools!

11. >Our Top 5 Useful IT Tools that can
change your organisation
1. Doodle – Makes planning of meeting dates
very straightforward for participants
2. Mailchimp – Create e-bulletins, manage your
subscribers & get statistics on opens/clicks
3. MyComputerMyWay – Guides & advice to set
up a screen, keyboard, mouse to suit you
4. Technology Trust – Provide ICT advice & info
and the cost saving CTXchange service
5. Hootsuite – Dashboard to manage multiple
Facebook & Twitter streams

12. The
Good
Parts...

13. >The Good Parts
 Dedication by a volunteer looking after
their organisation's IT network
 Activities Co-ordinator using Skype for
residents and Youtube videos on a large screen
 Willingness and foresight to equip buildings
with Wireless Internet access
 Vision to see that Tablet Devices are a way to
offer activities and training ... and fun!
 Recognition that on-line learning offers
significant cost & time savings
 IT Training suites & eager learners
 Facebook to tell good news stories

14. Is your Social Media in the landscape of 1992?
Or...

15. Conversations.

16. > Hand held Devices (Tablets & Smartphones)
 Tablet PCs becoming affordable – starting
from £79 and Supermarket own brands.
 12.8 million people own one, including around
1 million of those over 55 (ComScore 2013)
 30% of all UK web traffic from phone or
tablet (ComScore – Dec 2012)
 82% of all UK mobile phone sales are smart
phones and 71% of phones purchased by
over 55's in Dec 2012 smartphones
 19% of smartphone users aged over 55
(6.1 million people)

17. > Why use tablets and smartphones?
 Light, quick and easy to get started with
 'The Internet', without having to worry
and bother about 'going on the internet'
 Custom screens (front screen) for new users
to just display the apps / shortcuts they use
 A more social shared way to view the web
 59% use to check social networks, 49% for
on line shopping, 36% on line banking. 75%
of people get news first on line.
 Have you viewed your website on a tablet?

18.  For staff and the organisation
 A portable way to access care plans & record case notes
 As a mobile office reducing time, travel & paperwork
 See http://apps.nhs.uk/ & http://www.iautism.info/en
 For residents and service users
 Tools – BIG Launcher
 'Memory Trainer' & 'Brainy App'
help for Alzheimer's and Dementia
 Reminiscence Activities – Youtube, Flickr, Streetview
 Keep in touch – Skype & Google Hangouts
 Skills – Choiceboard Creator, Life Skills Winner
 Games – Pocket Pond, Talking Tom Cat
 Art – My Arts, Book Creator, Grand Piano
> What can tablets be used for?

19. Technology ideas that work with older people ...
My Home Helper - https://www.myhomehelper.co.uk
 A computer system developed to assist with daily routines for
individuals living with memory loss (see also 'Mindings')
Skype Bingo
 Berneslai Homes linked sheltered schemes to play Bingo over
Skype with webcams & large screens
Eldy - http://www.eldy.eu/ http://www.welcometoalex.com/
 Turns any standard PC into an easy-to-use computer for
people that have never used a computer before
Internet Buttons - http://www.internetbuttons.org/
 Removes complicated bits of the web to give easy access to
places you need
Breezie - http://www.breezie.com/
 Easy to use tablet in partnership with AgeUK

20. Tablet PC Projects
Ipad EngAGE - http://ipad-
engage.blogspot.co.uk/
- Based in North East & Yorkshire
- Residents in 90s using art activities
You Can Hub - http://www.get-tech.org/
- Running an open 'Tablets in Care Homes'
vent in summer 2014
Alive! - http://www.aliveactivities.org/
- Very popular scheme working with 200
care homes in the South West
- http://memoryappsfordementia.org.uk/

21. Technology for older people ...
A well lived life in older age is being Healthy
and Happy, Independent but not Isolated.
Connected technology (Telecare) can help
provide 'safe independence'.
“Using the Internet should be fun, not a
chore” Age UK - 'ITea and Biscuits'
It's about sharing conversations with people
near and far - Intergenerational
86% of over
55s - Internet
has improved
their lives
(Digital Unite)

22. Websites & Volunteer Services

23. >Our Top 5 IT Resource
Websites to bookmark
1. ICT Knowledgebase – 500 articles about
making most of technology in a small
org
2. Community How To – Covers all the main
digital websites with reviews & intro
guides
3. KnowHow NonProfit - Marketing & Comms
guides for small charities that you can edit
4. SCIE – A wide range of free e-learning courses
covering health & social care topics
5. Digital Unite Guides – Guides you can print to
help get started with tech

24. • Set a Short, medium and long
term plan.
• Listen to what residents want to
try out on-line
• Involve everyone. Committee,
Manager, Staff & Residents
• Apply to Marketing, Fund-
raising & Comms
• Relevant and human
conversations
• Implement, monitor and adjust.
Remember it takes time
How could you make more of technology?
Start small … what
one thing could you
try out today?

25. Any Questions?
Free lasa website tools:
www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk
www.suppliersdirectory.org.uk
Free lasa publications:
ICT Bulletin - bi-weekly newsletter
Sign-up -http://storify.com/lasaict
We are looking for organisations to take part in 2014
Contact us or sign up if interested
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ccsignup
We can all be a Digital Champion or Social Media Surgeon
for an older person in our community

26. Thank You
Paul Webster – Community Builder & Technology Consultant
pwebster@lasa.org.uk 020 7426 4498