TECHNOLOGY IN CARE
The Digital Carer
Do the core skills for a career in care need a complete reboot, asks William Britton, Founder of AutonoMe.
Building a new and lasting relationship with vulnerable young people is a role responsibility for many carers, and it can be challenging. Teens and young adults whose conditions require them to have support and guidance in their home environment need trust, practical help and kindness to gain what they need - independence. But, do they need technology, and if so, do the skills of the caring profession need to evolve to accommodate that need?
THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVICE LITERACY
Experienced carers know to quickly find areas where a rapport can be built with their clients and residents, and where better to start than using what’s in most of our pockets – a device. In 2019, Ofcom revealed that 70% of people with learning disabilities have a smartphone, and 69% have a tablet.
The charity Sense reported as part of the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness report in 2018 that 50% of disabled people will feel lonely on any given day. The MP Jo Cox, in whose name the Commission was established, said: “We have more in common than that which divides us”. A love for using our phones and tablets to stay connected is just that – something in common which carers can utilise as part of care packages and day-to-day communication with their young clients.
Devices have an important role to play in building carer-client relationships and providing better support with more positive outcomes. Smartphones are the key to a world where disability
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is no barrier to independence, particularly for young adults, regardless of learning capabilities. Gaming, social media, photography and video empower us and allow us to show ourselves to the people we want to hear our voices. So, involving some of those digital tools in care packages makes sense, and provides connections on a more level playing field.
A KEY ROLE REQUIREMENT FOR CARERS
A sharper focus on tech literacy in carer roles sends a strong signal to people considering a career in care. Young people are digital natives used to using devices in school and college to report and communicate and they expect tech to be part of their work – paper forms and records are not familiar. Shared media and shared experiences involve a device, and this should be the enabled when they are forming bonds at work with clients.
The job description for caring roles could be less intimidating with more digital responsibilities, and we believe they must form a bigger part of the recruitment and training process for care providers. Technology should be used to inspire and motivate carers, and make their role more of a partnership with those they look aſter – recording progress or concerns, together.
ADDING DIGITAL TO THE CARE PACKAGE
Using apps, chat, and digital media to record progress has been proven in care settings to improve outcomes. We work with
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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