Digital innovation for greater safety and quality

Digitization is having a profound impact on all areas of life. It is also opening up a wide range of advantages in the care of the elderly, not only making everyday life easier for the seniors being cared for, but also making it much safer. A pioneer in this field is the Evangelische Heimstiftung (EHS), which implemented a comprehensive digitization strategy at an early stage and is already using various technical assistance systems.

At the Evangelische Heimstiftung (EHS) in Baden-Württemberg, the abbreviation ALADIEN stands for “Alltagsunterstützende Assistenzsysteme und Dienstleistungen” (services and systems that provide support in everyday life). It is also a synonym for the comprehensive digitization strategy that was launched several years ago. In the first step, almost all of the social services provider's apartments and residences were equipped with Wi-Fi at an early stage to create the necessary basis for networking – with success, because the ALADIEN concept is now already in use in around 750 apartments and residential communities, significantly improving the quality of life of people in need of support and care. “I am convinced that we will need more and more digital innovations for care and support in the future,” says Bernhard Schneider, CEO of EHS. ‘Because demand is continuously increasing while resources are dwindling.’ That is why EHS's digital products are being developed not only for the seniors who live in nursing homes and residences today, but also for those who will live there in ten to 20 years. By then, digitalization will have progressed rapidly, which will also be reflected in the knowledge of the residents. They are already very digitally savvy, which is why it is important to consider their needs and wishes in the development process today.

Special tablets and more security

In order to be able to use the ALADIEN concept, residents are provided with special tablets when they move in. These are easy to use with a specially developed interface and make it easier for older people to access digital communication channels. After a short introduction, the tablets can be used to conveniently control the lighting and blinds in the apartments, among other things. In addition to managing the installed home technology, the ALADIEN concept also includes various modules to increase security. These include, for example, a safety shut-down for the stove, video door communication so that residents can always see who is at their door, an orientation light that is activated when getting out of bed, an inactivity detector that recognizes when a person has not moved for an unusually long time, and a fall detector that reports falls within a very short time via the home emergency call system and organizes help. The prerequisite for this is that sensors are installed in all rooms of the house, which then work together to increase the safety and independence of the residents.
 

In addition, there are also numerous apps that provide entertainment and facilitate communication. These include, among others, the easy-to-use Myo app, which is used exclusively in the nursing homes of the Evangelische Heimstiftung. Thanks to this, relatives can participate in the daily lives of their family members in the facilities. Not only does it enable video telephony, but it also allows staff to share pictures, videos and documents with relatives. And the tablet also acts as a gateway to the neighborhood. It displays the daily events that residents can sign up for. If they have any questions about the tablet or the applications, the seniors can turn to special ALADIEN representatives in the facilities, who are on hand to help and also organize get-togethers.

Innovative start-ups develop new applications

The system is continuously being developed and is to be used in all new and renovated buildings in the future. For example, the EHS-Treffpunkt app was recently added, which offers residents an appointment overview, internal messages, the current menu and contacts for various people in the facility. In order to offer such applications, the Evangelische Heimstiftung has been working for several years with young start-up companies that design digital technologies specifically for people in need of care. “Both sides benefit from these partnerships,” explains Bernhard Schneider. “We use trade fairs and conferences to get in touch with innovative founders. In addition, we are represented in various networks and look for young companies there that could be suitable for potential collaboration.”

When a suitable partner is found, the Evangelische Heimstiftung first gathers initial experiences as part of a test phase or a model project. The decisive factor here is always whether the residents in need of care can benefit from the development or service offered, so that the existing care and living arrangements can be continuously developed. The Evangelische Heimstiftung also works with start-ups in the context of development partnerships, in which it collects initial empirical data on the prototype so that weak points can be eliminated and technical functionalities optimized. A current example of this is the social robot Navel, which has undergone a six-month test phase in the provider's facilities to test in practice whether it can accompany senior citizens in their daily lives and also promote their cognitive abilities. “Navel has effectively demonstrated his skills with us,” says Bernhard Schneider. “There were some residents who didn't like him, but the others were very enthusiastic.” This applies particularly to older people with special hobbies. Since Navel can answer even difficult topic-related questions without further ado, based on artificial intelligence, it has become a valued conversation partner for them.

“Our experiences with digital innovations have been very positive across the board. However, it is important that the projects are accompanied very positively from the outset in order to allay people's fears. If we can do that, they are very open and more likely to see the opportunities,” says Bernhard Schneider. In addition, the Evangelische Heimstiftung is benefiting from an image boost that it hadn't even anticipated. ”Not only are our employees enthusiastic and we receive many applications for advertised training positions, but our residents also like the technical gadgets so much that our accommodation options are increasingly in demand.”

Digitization has a profound influence on all areas of life. In geriatric care, too, it offers a wide range of advantages that not only make everyday life easier for the seniors in care, but also make it much safer. A pioneer in this field is the Evangelische Heimstiftung (EHS), which implemented a comprehensive digitization strategy at an early stage and already has various technical assistance systems in use.

At the Evangelische Heimstiftung (EHS) in Baden-Württemberg, the abbreviation ALADIEN stands for “Alltagsunterstützende Assistenzsysteme und Dienstleistungen” (services and systems that provide support in everyday life). It is also a synonym for the comprehensive digitization strategy that was launched several years ago. In the first step, almost all of the social services provider's apartments and residences were equipped with Wi-Fi at an early stage to create the necessary basis for networking – with success, because the ALADIEN concept is now already in use in around 750 apartments and residential communities, significantly improving the quality of life of people in need of support and care. “I am convinced that we will need more and more digital innovations for care and support in the future,” says Bernhard Schneider, CEO of EHS. ‘Because demand is continuously increasing while resources are dwindling.’ That is why EHS's digital products are being developed not only for the seniors who live in nursing homes and residences today, but also for those who will live there in ten to 20 years. By then, digitalization will have progressed rapidly, which will also be reflected in the knowledge of the residents. They are already very digitally savvy, which is why it is important to consider their needs and wishes in the development process today.

Special tablets and more security

In order to be able to use the ALADIEN concept, residents are provided with special tablets when they move in. These are easy to use with a specially developed interface and make it easier for older people to access digital communication channels. After a short introduction, the tablets can be used to conveniently control the lighting and blinds in the apartments, among other things. In addition to managing the installed home technology, the ALADIEN concept also includes various modules to increase security. These include, for example, a safety shut-down for the stove, video door communication so that residents can always see who is at their door, an orientation light that is activated when getting out of bed, an inactivity detector that recognizes when a person has not moved for an unusually long time, and a fall detector that reports falls within a very short time via the home emergency call system and organizes help. The prerequisite for this is that sensors are installed in all rooms of the house, which then work together to increase the safety and independence of the residents.

In addition, there are also numerous apps that provide entertainment and facilitate communication. These include, among others, the easy-to-use Myo app, which is used exclusively in the nursing homes of the Evangelische Heimstiftung. Thanks to this, relatives can participate in the daily lives of their family members in the facilities. Not only does it enable video telephony, but it also allows staff to share pictures, videos and documents with relatives. And the tablet also acts as a gateway to the neighborhood. It displays the daily events that residents can sign up for. If they have any questions about the tablet or the applications, the seniors can turn to special ALADIEN representatives in the facilities, who are on hand to help and also organize get-togethers.

Innovative start-ups develop new applications

The system is continuously being developed and is to be used in all new and renovated buildings in the future. For example, the EHS-Treffpunkt app was recently added, which offers residents an appointment overview, internal messages, the current menu and contacts for various people in the facility. In order to offer such applications, the Evangelische Heimstiftung has been working for several years with young start-up companies that design digital technologies specifically for people in need of care. “Both sides benefit from these partnerships,” explains Bernhard Schneider. “We use trade fairs and conferences to get in touch with innovative founders. In addition, we are represented in various networks and look for young companies there that could be suitable for potential collaboration.”

When a suitable partner is found, the Evangelische Heimstiftung first gathers initial experiences as part of a test phase or a model project. The decisive factor here is always whether the residents in need of care can benefit from the development or service offered, so that the existing care and living arrangements can be continuously developed. The Evangelische Heimstiftung also works with start-ups in the context of development partnerships, in which it collects initial empirical data on the prototype so that weak points can be eliminated and technical functionalities optimized. A current example of this is the social robot Navel, which has undergone a six-month test phase in the provider's facilities to test in practice whether it can accompany senior citizens in their daily lives and also promote their cognitive abilities. “Navel has effectively demonstrated his skills with us,” says Bernhard Schneider. “There were some residents who didn't like him, but the others were very enthusiastic.” This applies particularly to older people with special hobbies. Since Navel can answer even difficult topic-related questions without further ado, based on artificial intelligence, it has become a valued conversation partner for them.

“Our experiences with digital innovations have been very positive across the board. However, it is important that the projects are accompanied very positively from the outset in order to allay people's fears. If we can do that, they are very open and more likely to see the opportunities,” says Bernhard Schneider. In addition, the Evangelische Heimstiftung is benefiting from an image boost that it hadn't even anticipated. ”Not only are our employees enthusiastic and we receive many applications for advertised training positions, but our residents also like the technical gadgets so much that our accommodation options are increasingly in demand.”