Assisted Living
Like many other countries, Denmark is facing the demographic challenge of a fast-growing ageing population, which puts a severe strain on both the human and the financial resources required to maintain a high quality of elderly care. Implementation of assisted living technologies in both private homes and care homes play a key role in meeting this challenge in collaboration with citizens, enabling solutions that are sustainable and do not compromise the quality of care.
Elderly citizens in Denmark have high willingness to adopt new technologies, if they are easily available and improve their quality of life. Supporting citizens in remaining self-reliant and independent is an important element of the Danish care for elderly and disabled people. With technological support schemes and empowering initiatives, citizens can stay in their own home for as long as possible. Therefore, Danish municipalities and hospitals in the regions are increasingly implementing a range of innovative technologies that support citizens in their daily routines, keeping them connected, physically active, and safe.
Innovative solutions can both improve the quality of life for elderly citizens, as well as support home care professionals in creating an efficient, coherent, and high-quality framework for care as well as a safe working environment. The solutions vary from simple smart-sensor devices and other assisted living technologies to advanced telehealth solutions and digital communication platforms – to be used in the citizen’s own home. With the necessary support and guidance, elderly citizens can remotely draw the curtains, set the kitchen worktop at the right height, and operate a hoist to get themselves into bed.
Care homes and other care facilities have also been supplemented with efforts to help improve the quality of life for residents. These efforts are increasingly supported by technologies and other innovative solutions that bring several benefits for both residents and caregivers. For example, a digital incontinence-aid system, Abena Nova, helps ensure individualised continence care for residents in care homes. It looks and feels like a regular incontinence product but has built-in sensors to collect data in real-time. Caregivers can view the data via an app, which frees up time for other care tasks due to fewer unnecessary diaper changes. At the same time, the residents experience a higher quality of care and reduced infection risk.
Another example is sensory stimulation by Danish company Wavecare, which helps to improve the well-being of people with dementia. It has been documented that the ambient application of sound, light, natural scenery, and other images can create a peaceful environment in care homes and improve the quality of life for residents with dementia. The displays and music are specially designed to calm and stimulate people suffering from anxiety, creating a positive distraction, which has a significant effect on residents who feel restless.