TAPPI Cast – 21 April 2023

Welcome to TAPPI Cast, our weekly update on the 'Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation' (TAPPI) project which aims to improve the way technology is used in housing and care for older people.

Updates from our Testbeds:

'Last Friday we were delighted to welcome Hannah and Rey, TAPPI's evaluation partners from The University of Cambridge, to Harling Court. Residents shared their views on technology, it's benefits and pitfalls openly and honestly during a TAPPI get-together in the Lounge. We're halfway through rolling out tablets to Harling Court residents, with more being issued each day. This week, fall detectors and remote door openers will be provided to those assessed to need them, with more exciting life-changing TEC on its way from Community Housing TECS.'

‘Two new residents have moved into the extra care setting ‘DairyView’ and have learnt about TAPPI and the ongoing pilot. Both have jumped at the chance to be part of the pilot and learn how care technology can work for them and their health needs, with hopes to improve their independence and well-being.’

‘This week Bield is focusing on getting technology installed into tenant’s homes who are participating in the trial. We have noticed the biggest barrier to participation is that most tenants at the sites we are focusing on do not have their own wifi connection. This is a good learning point and something we will need to find a solution to.’

Publications of interest:

Moving from exclusion to inclusion in digital health and care (opens new window)

This King's Fund publication, part of their Supporting digital inclusion in health care series, explains that digital technologies can change how care is delivered, making health and care services more accessible, flexible, person centred, and a better experience for patients and staff while also improving efficiency. However, there is no guarantee of these positive effects until digitally enabled services are inclusive and meet the expectations of staff and the public.

TAPPI Phase 2: New personal stories from TAPPI Champions

The second phase of TAPPI is committed to co-production. The approach we have designed is a Champions’ model. Each of the six TAPPI testbed sites nominated staff and tenants to join the Co-production Champions Group. There are 17 members of the Champions’ group, 9 tenants and 8 staff.

The Champions’ group makes sure that the voice of later life housing tenants is at the heart of everything that TAPPI does, enabling TAPPI to be rooted in people’s lives and the reality of their experiences.

The 4 personal stories collected here are the authentic voices of the Champions. The stories cover the positives and negatives of digital technology, peoples’ hopes and fears and highlight how technology can be both a blessing and a curse.

Technology-Enabled Lives: Delivering Outcomes for People and Providers

Over the past five months, the TEC Action Alliance has heard evidence from a range of people who draw on care, along with frontline workers and leaders in care, health, housing and local government.

Published by the TEC Action Alliance at ITEC23 on Monday, this new report examines barriers to widespread adoption.

To coincide with this report, TEC Action Alliance shared ‘A guide to getting started in co-production’ on why co-production must be integral to health and care, always the starting point, always defined by the individual who will receive the support to live a good life.

Forthcoming events of interest:

Click here (opens new window) for a list of all forthcoming TAPPI related events, including:

• 26-27 April in London - The Digital Healthcare Show (opens new window) - Nathan Downing, TSA and Dan Rock, Platform Housing will run a TAPPI session on 26 April from 10am (opens new window)

• 27-29 June in Manchester - CIH Annual Conference 'H​ousing 2023' (opens new window) - Prof Roy Sandbach, TAPPI Chair, Lynn Douglas, CEO, Bield Housing & Care, and Debra Edwards, TAPPI Co-production Champion will run a TAPPI sessions along with other TAPPI presentations during the conference by Alyson Scurfield, CEO, TSA; Jeremy Porteus, CEO, Housing LIN; and Jirko Hoogerwerf, TAPPI Steering Board member.