Sunderland City Council has introduced the use of assistive technology into adult social care services with the support of a new specialist team.
This team works closely with social workers and social care staff, and together they have adapted their approach to how adult social care is provided in and around Sunderland. Products like Google, Alexa and Siri, smart lightbulbs and heating, as well as home sensors and GPS trackers, have many benefits that can be used in additional ways to their original purpose.
An example of this is an old caretaker's house that has been turned into a smart home showcasing assistive technology. The property on Leechmere Industrial Estate in Sunderland demonstrates technology aimed at improving the lives of people with disabilities.The show home was developed by Sunderland City Council and features things a refillable dog bowl and an artificial intelligence vacuum cleaner.
Technology on show includes curtains that can be opened using a smart speaker and a stair lift. The house will be used by occupational therapists and technologists as a place to try out new ideas and train teams on how to use assistive technology.
Linsey Proud, occupational therapy team manager, said: “The technology is ever-developing and it’s been amazing watching the house go from a shell to a place where we can demonstrate what is available for our customers in a real home environment that doesn’t feel clinical.It was important from the outset that the home was as real as possible, that it was just like a normal home and uses technology that we can easily get hold of.”