Care diary gives peace of mind to elderly people and relatives in the City of Stockholm
“We can only see the benefits in this. Not least for relatives who live elsewhere in the country. The Care diary allows them to have the peace of mind that their parents are receiving the care they need,” explains Jenny Andersson, a strategic adviser for the City of Stockholm’s Elderly Services Administration.
This device is basically a mobile solution which has been developed by the IT services company Tieto. It is currently available to everyone receiving any form of elderly care in the City of Stockholm, which is approximately 27,000 people. “Our solution allows information to be forwarded to Stockholm’s administration systems,” explains Johanna Lethin Jacobson, a business manager at Tieto.
The Care diary received the Vitalis Award last year, which rewards innovative IT support in the healthcare sector.
Stockholm’s political authorities started talking about the introduction of a digital diary back in 2007. The service was fully launched in November 2009, since when anyone receiving elderly care services can monitor themselves the decisions made and other relevant documentation. The only requirement is for the elderly person to have an e-ID. This point has been one of few objections to the service.“But I didn’t imagine that the elderly would have problems with the technology. Many of them find it easier to use a computer than a telephone. It’s great that the service is around for the next generation of elderly people,” adds Jenny Andersson.
Elderly people can also give their relatives consent to access the documentation.“This aspect involving the relatives is important. Many of them want to be able to monitor how their Mum and Dad are getting on.”
When the home-help staff visit, the information they document includes details about how the elderly person is doing. These comments combined with other important events, discrepancies and reports on service provision form a diary which will quickly be available on the Internet. But only to those who are registered on the administration system for the individual person receiving the care. “If the documentation is produced immediately on site, the quality will be much better than if it is produced at the end of the day,” Johanna Lethin Jacobson points out.
Some home-help staff initially felt that they were being checked up on and monitored by the mobile solution. But this feeling has now turned into peace of mind about the fact that they have been there and documented the visit. “This is the main feeling. It has also very much involved home-help staff having to use new technology for their job. It has enhanced their status,” says Jenny Andersson.
Discussions are now under way about a further development of the e-service. Suggestions have come both from elderly people and their relatives.