Care home costs for women almost double that of men’s

Their Women’s Risks in Life report shows that longer life expectancy, which has increased by four years in the last two decades, has resulted in higher and unpredictable costs of care for women in comparison to men.

Nearly two in three people aged over 80 are women, who will on average face 19 years of ill health, and need nearly three years of help carrying out basic tasks.

CII CEO, Sian Fisher, said: “Women today are left disproportionately exposed to risks that society is not overtly recognising. This is at the same time as historic support systems are receding. 

“We are moving from a dependence culture to one of independence, where we will have to be less reliant on our partners, families, communities and the state, and must take charge of our own financial welfare. Yet today’s women are simply unprepared for the risks that they will face in life.

“This is not just a women’s issue, it is a wider risk for society because if we don’t address it now, we will face a huge burden of care that we will not be able to sustain.”

It was also found that while women are more likely to have savings products, on average they accumulate five times less into their pension pots than the average man.

Despite the increasing likelihood that women will require expensive care in old age, it was found that 55% aged 30-39 have not thought how they will pay for this.

In addition, four in 10 of this age group were unaware of the government’s plans to cap care costs, and one in 10 thought that all care was covered by the state.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI), director general, Huw Evans, said: “This report is genuinely shocking in highlighting the significantly greater risks women face than their male counterparts. 

“This should be a call to action for government and the financial services sector alike to find meaningful and lasting solutions to the challenges women still face.”

The report suggests that the insurance industry should:

•Educate and raise awareness of the risks of not planning

•Provide equality-oriented solutions

•Engage with employers to develop new workplace risk solutions

•Improve the image of the profession, making it more appealing to women

ABI protection committee member, Johnny Timpson, said: “The industry needs to transform how we engage and support women appropriately, de-risk and protect their incomes, commitments, liabilities and lifestyles.

“A comprehensive strengthening of all women’s safety nets is needed through: access to careers that build wealth; increased financial literacy; improved product solutions; plus better infrastructure for raising children with or without a significant other.”

SOURCE: The Actuary, Chris Seekings

Interactive dementia game creates 'goosebump moments'

Meaningful activity has huge benefits for residents living with dementia and should be integral to daily care home life. Yet if the individual is not engaged in some way, they can experience anxiety, aggression, agitation or apathy.

Around 20 care homes in the UK and more than 500 in Holland have recently installed Active Cues’ Tovertafel (also known as the Magic Table) to challenge residents with mid- to late-stage dementia to be more active both in body and in mind.

By means of a projector and infrared sensors, light animations are shone onto a table which residents can interact with.

John Ramsay introduced Tovertafel to the UK this year, following his retirement as a corporate lawyer. He said: “I became involved with Tovertafel as my father (formerly a consultant orthodontist) was diagnosed with dementia when I was 12. I cared for him for ten years.

"I have witnessed the reality of how hard it can be to interact with someone living with dementia, and cannot believe the effect Tovertafel has on the quality of life and day-to-day activities of those living with the condition. I only wish it had been around when my dad was still alive."

Research published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) suggests that older people with dementia can often remain passive throughout the day, as they have little or no interaction with their immediate surroundings.

This, according to Mr Ramsay, "can be very worrying because apathy accelerates the deterioration of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Muscles can become stiff, individuals can get bored or even depressed, and cognitive ability can deteriorate."

Passive behaviours are among the most common symptoms of dementia and are characterised by fewer displays of emotion, withdrawal from interactions with others and surroundings, and a decrease in motor activity.

Residents who are withdrawn are therefore vulnerable to the effects of isolation and inactivity and are at high risk for further cognitive and functional decline.

The International Journal of Design published a study which found that playing interactive games such as Tovertafel can slow down the deterioration of, or can improve memory, hand-eye coordination, reaction times and self-esteem.

Tovertafel has been designed to promote physical movement, conversations and reminiscence through a series of interactive games. These include: sayings and rhymes, little fish, fluttering butterflies, autumn leaves and beach ball.

eek to 10%, 20% … 60%

"We believe that everyone has the right to play," said Mr Ramsay. "Whether young or old, male or female, living with a disability, suffering a short or long-term illness or in recovery, playing is much more than just having fun; it is paramount for the individual’s mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.

"The moments that give you goosebumps are endless especially when you see grandchildren interacting with their grandparents when previously they were unable to play together."

Margaret House was one of the first care homes in Hertfordshire to install the 'magic table' for its residents, staff and visiting friends and families.

Established in 1971, the independent, family-run care home offers long stay residential and dementia care, as well as respite or holiday breaks.

Proprietor Gail Kelly, said: "As soon as we saw the Tovertafel being demonstrated, we knew that we had to get one and are very pleased that we did. It offers such a different way for people with dementia to get both pleasure and physical activity and complements the other activities that we provide."

Care home manager Julie Greaves, added: "It is already very popular as it is multigenerational, with both staff and relatives of all ages being able to take part. It really allows people with dementia to come together to share an activity that brings a smile to everyone's face, with the range of different games and the levels within them, making them accessible for many residents."

Tovertafel consists of a box which is suspended from the ceiling, containing a high-quality projector, infrared sensors, a speaker, a processor, a memory card and a Wi-Fi antenna. It detects any hand and arm movement, controls the games and projects the interactive light animations onto any table surface, colour or material. The structure has been developed this way to avoid making participants feel uneasy.

The 'magic table' can be connected to the internet, whereby software updates and new games can be updated by care homes.

Tovertafel was developed at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of Delft University of Technology and in collaboration with the department of Clinical Neuropsychology of the VU University of Amsterdam.

"Our founder, Hester Le Riche, created Tovertafel as part of her PhD research in the Netherlands with the primary goal to decrease the passivity of people living with dementia by developing a product that stimulates them in both physical activity and social interaction," said Mr Ramsay. "She wanted to design a playful platform (or game) to accomplish these behavioural challenges as well as adding joy to their day-to-day life."

The cost of a Tovertafel is around £5,500 (exclusive of VAT) which includes eight original games, free installation, training and a three-year service.

Ms Le Riche and Mr Ramsay have recently launched a version of Tovertafel for people with learning disabilities, where the games are more intense and directly educational. Next year there will also be a set of games for children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

SOURCE:carehome.co.uk, Melissa McAlees

Social care deficit to be tackled by up to 6% Council Tax rise

Local authorities could be set to raise council taxes by as much as 6% over the next two years to tackle the desperate under-funding of social care, according to early reports.

The social care crisis is a long-term problem, with demand outstripping resources. The funding gap – the shortfall between demand for care and the money available to pay for it – is set to reach £2.5 billion by 2020.

Dementia is now the biggest killer, and with numbers of people living with dementia set to soar to 1 million by 2021, the demand for social care is only going to rise.  70% of those living in care homes and 60% of homecare users have dementia. Alzheimer’s Society predicts that the number of people with dementia living in care homes will increase to 358,000 by 2020, with associated costs reaching £4.9 billion.

Commenting on the social care precept, Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

'For a system as starved as social care, a funding boost in any form is desperately needed. Time and again, people with dementia and their families are bearing the brunt of the crisis. From the devoted daughter making a 200 mile trip to make sure her mum gets a hot meal to the 82 year old lady hospitalised with a urinary tract infection because she stopped getting support to have a shower each day.'

He continued,

'However, this is a national crisis that needs national leadership. The Government is effectively washing its hands of it by passing the buck to local Councils while providing no assurance that the money needed to fund care can be raised. With more deprived parts of the country unable to raise as much as their more affluent counterparts, the precept will widen inequalities without addressing the fundamental disconnect between the amount care costs and the amount councils have to spend on it.'

The existing 2% social care precept raised £382 million, and a 1% annual increase will provide an additional £200 million each year. However, the precept promotes considerable regional variation, with the most affluent areas potentially raising three times as much as the poorer boroughs. According to the King’s Fund, Manchester and Newham will be able to make £5 per person while Kingston upon Thames will generate £15.

Good social care means good dementia care – with few treatments and no cure, the majority of people with dementia’s needs are met through social care. Without extra funding, local authorities have been forced to tighten the eligibility criteria for social care in an attempt to balance their books. This has resulted in 500,000 fewer older and disabled people accessing care since 2010, and a knock on effect of increased emergency admissions to hospital.

SOURCE: Alzheimers Society

UK care home boss warns Wirral Council its 'extraordinarily low fees' are putting vulnerable at risk

THE chief executive of the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care has publicly voiced concerns about the viability of many care homes throughout Wirral.

Professor Martin Green, boss of Care England, said looking after elderly and vulnerable people cannot be done on a shoestring and urged the local authority to increase fees paid to providers.

However the town hall's social services chief told the Globe an additional £3m has been allocated in the budget.

Professor Green said: "In order to guarantee care for people living in care homes now and those who will need them in the future, it is important that the extraordinarily low fees paid by Wirral Council for those unable to fund themselves are increased.

"Clearly the council is under huge pressure - and I accept that there are competing priorities - but a measure of a good society is how we care and support those in need.

"Good quality care cannot be delivered on a shoestring.

"Some providers are being paid only £2.46 per hour to deliver the high quality care that we need and want, this is not sustainable.”

Councillor Chris Jones, cabinet member for adult social services, said: "We understand and share many of the concerns raised by Care England.

"In setting the level of our fees for the current financial year, we recognised that our older and most vulnerable residents deserve high-quality, sustainable and safe care.

"As a result - even during a time of national austerity and financial difficulties for this council - we committed to investing an additional £3m to safeguard and help improve the quality of care available in Wirral.

"This investment, coupled with our ongoing work to better join-up our services with the NHS, means we can drive forward our work towards making sure that older people live well, and people with disabilities can live independently, both of which are key pledges within our Wirral Plan."

Professor Green said Wirral and other areas will need to prepare themselves for a detrimental impact on families, local economies and the NHS.

"Social care provides a significant amount of employment in Wirral and is crucial for those in receipt of its care and of course those in its employment," he said.

The number of beds in residential homes in England fell from 255,289 in 2010 to 235,799 in 2016 though the supply of nursing home beds rose from 205,375 to 224,843 over the same period, the Care Quality Commission revealed in its annual report.

SOURCE: Wirral Globe

Dementia carers must be heard People who care for those with dementia need to have a voice

Dementia Carer Voices provides a platform where the voices of carers of people with dementia can be heard. The project is managed by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland – the Alliance – and can also be used to influence practice and policy.

 As part of the project’s Carers’ Rights Day celebrations last month we shared and celebrated the 11,000 pledges made by people across the country who have pledged to make a difference to the lives of people with dementia and their carers. Dementia Carer Voices has embarked on a campaign entitled You Can Make a Difference over the last two years, and has gathered pledges from Health and Social Care Professionals and students over the course of 500 talks, where Project Engagement Lead Tommy Whitelaw has engaged with 60,000 people.

You Can Make a Difference offers carers of people with dementia a chance to have their stories told, and encourages participants to reflect on what they have learned and pledge how they can make a difference to the lives of people with dementia and their carers. The project has also collected multimedia case studies, asking people with dementia, carers, and staff what matters to them, ultimately promoting a person centered approach to care.

 As part of the project’s awareness raising activities, we also aim to empower people through the Charter of Rights for People with Dementia and their Carers which was launched on 8th October 2009. It had the backing of both Scottish Government and the Cross Party Group on Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The Cross Party Group argued a charter was necessary to tackle the stigma and discrimination people with dementia faced, and the exclusion of carers as decision makers in care. Using a simple approach, the Charter sets out the rights of people with dementia and those who support them to ensure that they, and the wider community understand their rights and that they are respected.

With the Carers (Scotland) Act agreed this year in Parliament, the theme of this year’s Carers Rights Day was extremely pertinent. Dementia Carer Voices champions a rights based approach to health and social care, and is pleased to share the commitment of people across the country to making a difference to people with dementia and carers. Advancing the rights of people with dementia, and their carers who sometimes face extraordinary challenges and barriers in communicating their needs and wishes, is a just cause.

The simple message is that dementia is everyone’s business.

SOURCE:Falkirk Herald

Tips to help loved ones with dementia

CHRISTMAS is a time for celebration and spending time with the family, but a break from routine and a room full of unfamiliar faces can be stressful for people living with Dementia.

Natalie Cooke at Helping Hands Cheltenham and Gloucester, recommends the below tips to make it simpler to cope during the festive season: - Reduce clutter on the Christmas dinner table - vision problems associated with dementia can make it difficult to spot objects on patterned surfaces.

·         Make your house dementia friendly - place signs on cupboards and on doors. Place plain rugs on patterned carpets or on shiny floors. A dementia toolkit including room cards can be requested from the Helping Hands website www.helpinghandshomecare.co.uk/condition-led-care/dementia-care/dementia-tool-kit.

·         Make one room in the house a quiet room - the loud noise and hustle and bustle of Christmas can be agitating for a person with dementia.

·         Close the curtains as soon as it becomes dark - reflections in windows can be intimidating for those with dementia. Mirrors can also be taken down or covered up.

·         Try not to break from routine too much

·         bring reassuring items from your loved one’s home, such as a favourite mug

·         Allow more time for everything - it’s possible that after a few days away their own house will feel unfamiliar, so allow an afternoon to spend settling them back in and familiarising themselves with their surroundings.

SOURCE: Wilts and Gloucs Standard, Ann Yip

The state system to care for older and disabled people is under acute pressure, and must be reformed

The absence of adequate social care is putting increased pressure on hospitals.

There is now an unprecedented consensus that the care system for older people and disabled adults in England is on the brink. It has gone far beyond the party political. Those who have spoken out include the health select committee, NHS leaders, local government leaders from all parties, independent health thinktanks and the regulator.

This diverse chorus of voices reflects the terrible human and financial cost of inadequate funding for care, revealed by Sonia Sodha today . The visible side of the crisis manifests itself in our hospitals. A lack of care funding means older people can’t be discharged when they are well enough to leave hospital, contributing to a dire shortage of hospital beds. It means older relatives end up in hospital with broken hips because they couldn’t get the help they need to wash and dress themselves.

The less visible side of the crisis is no less tragic. It is wreaking misery behind closed doors across the country. How must it feel to be an older person who struggles to eat and go to the toilet, living in virtual isolation with no support? Or to be struggling to combine working with taking responsibility for ensuring your elderly mother with dementia doesn’t hurt herself?

It also has a dreadful impact on those paid to provide state-funded care. How terrible must it be to work as a care assistant who has to choose between feeding or bathing someone who desperately needs help with both, on a 15-minute care visit?

How do you cope with the emotional stress of being asked to provide care, but never enough to support a decent quality of life, to whizz in and out to take care of someone’s physical needs with so little time it’s hard to show them some love?

How can anyone provide decent, human residential care on rates equivalent to £2 an hour, the rate some local authorities pay?

Enough is enough. The government’s continuing failure to heed the warnings are not just irresponsible but inhumane. It must take two steps.

First, and most urgent, when communities and local government secretary Sajid Javid sets out the local government finance settlement next week, he must make more funds available to councils to support people with their care. In particular, he must channel more money to the poorest areas of the country, which have the greatest levels of need.

Second, the government must once and for all come up with a long-term solution for funding care. Many of us will end up needing to use professional care services in later life. But who wants to imagine, plan and save for a future with dementia while they are in their 30s and 40s? This basic aspect of human psychology means the right way to fund our care services is the same way we fund our NHS.

The founding principle of the NHS was that healthcare should be available to all on the basis of need, free at the point of delivery. Seventy years later, that principle is as cherished as ever.

As long ago as 1999, the royal commission on long term care recommended this principle should be extended to personal and nursing care: free at the point of delivery, available to all on the basis of need. These recommendations were implemented by the Scottish government. Across the rest of the country, they were not, leaving the anomaly that someone suffering from cancer will have their care needs met by the NHS, whereas an older person suffering from dementia has to fund their own care unless they qualify for means-tested support.

The problem is not a want of a solution. It is a lack of political willpower. Yes, it will be expensive, but there are a myriad ways to pay in a country as rich as ours: through increasing income tax rates, through compulsory insurance payments for those aged over 40, as for instance in Japan, or through reversing this government’s cuts to inheritance tax.

The current path we are treading only ends in one place: a two-tier system where those who can afford to pay get the support they need; and those who cannot are condemned to suffer. We would not tolerate it in our hospitals, our GP surgeries and our schools; we must not tolerate it in our care services. The Observer urges the prime minister to act.

SOURCE: Observer Editorial, The Guardian 

‘Why we’re taking a christmas picnic to our mum, who suffers from dementia’

HAVE YOUR SAY NEW research by the Alzheimer’s Society today reveals more than half of people affected by dementia find Christmas to be the most isolating time of the year. But one Lancashire family have arranged an alternative Christmas for their loved one, to make the festive period more special. 

“We don’t dwell on the past or the future. The dementia is now part of mum’s life and we just work with that.” Susan Restorick, 59, and her family have arranged an alternative Christmas for her mother Cora, 87, who lives in a specialist dementia care home. They will be taking a Christmas picnic into the home and spending the day with her there as they don’t want her to feel isolated over the festive period.

Susan, from Lytham, explains: “This Christmas we wanted to do something a little different with mum. “As she struggles to eat some food now, my daughter is putting together a Christmas picnic that we are going to all have in the care home on Christmas Day.

“It started just being me going to visit, but now the whole family are coming. “As a family we have a very positive outlook. We don’t dwell on the past or the future we take the approach of focusing on the now. 

“The dementia is now part of mum’s life and we just work with that. “That’s why we want to celebrate Christmas in this way with mum and give her a lovely day.” 

The family’s heartwarming plans come as new research by the Alzheimer’s Society has uncovered that more than half of people affected by dementia (51 per cent) find Christmas to be the most isolating time of the year, with many stating they are dreading the festivities. Fifty-four per cent of those surveyed said they see their friends and family less often over the Christmas period than they did before their dementia diagnosis.

Living with dementia can be very challenging – but around this time of year the difficulties people face and the emotions they experience are often heightened, with 49 per cent of those surveyed reporting that the change in their usual routine is stressful. Thirty-eight per cent felt the extra noise associated with the excitement of the festive season can be stressful and 31 per cent found preparing Christmas dinner more challenging and 22 per cent said decorations such as Christmas lights and trees can be irritating and confusing.

Despite the challenges, people affected by dementia have told Alzheimer’s Society that there are things that will make their Christmas a more enjoyable experience. This includes seeing friends and family more frequently and keeping to their daily routine as much as possible, such as set meal times. Sharing experiences and talking to others in a similar situation were also cited as important to having the best possible Christmas.

Deborah Parker, operations manager for Alzheimer’s Society in Lancashire says: “While for many this time of year is full of excitement, we must not forget that dementia doesn’t stop at Christmas and feelings such as isolation and confusion can be intensified during this time of year.” 

To support families affected by dementia at this time of year, Alzheimer’s Society has created an infographic with guidance including introducing Christmas decorations gradually, over the course of a few days or even a week, so that it doesn’t come as a big change to the person’s usual setting. Alzheimer’s Society also provides a range of services to enable people to have the best possible experience over the festive season.

SOURCE: Lancashire Evening Post

Cold bedrooms and spilt urine - Lincolnshire care home put into special measures

Elderly people have been left shivering cold in a dirty care home which has been put in special measures following a scathing report.

The Care Quality Commission inspected the Limes Care Home at Scopwick in an unannounced inspection and rated it as inadequate.

Inspectors found residents were not cared for safely, privacy and dignity was not respected and there was poor infection control.

The report states: "Three of the bedrooms we looked in had unpleasant smells despite being cleaned. We found in one bedroom a feeder cup with dried faeces on and spilt urine on the floor which was an infection risk.

"One person had a sandwich crust on their chest of drawers when we visited their room in the morning and it remained there in the afternoon.

"One of the visiting professionals we spoke with told us that the home was always dirty and people often appeared unkempt."

The report also showed that people were at a risk of harm in the home - people who had swallowing difficulties were not cared for.

It added: "We found that people with swallowing difficulties were put at risk of choking. We saw that someone who had been assessed as needing thickened fluids to prevent choking had been left with a drink that had not been thickened.

"We took a drink away to show the manager because we were concerned about the risk.

"We observed another person eating a bowl of pasta with their fingers, lying down in bed therefore there was a risk of choking. A risk assessment had not been completed."

The report also found there were very few kind interactions at the home.

"When tea was served mid-morning people were not offered a choice and in most occasions not spoken to.

"We observed two people were given biscuits in packets, one person took five minutes to struggle to open them and another person took 10 minutes. Despite staff being in the room they did not offer to assist or ask if they could manage."

There were 25 people at the home when it was inspected but the accommodation can provide care for up to 40.

A number of people living there had also been left in the cold.

"We found bedrooms were cold. We spoke with a person whose bedroom was cold and found them also to be cold to touch. We observed visiting relatives come into the lounge to pay a visit to their family member who was sitting in a chair. The person appeared to be cold and shivering, we observed the main doors were open.

"The relative commented that their family member was cold and that they would benefit from a blanket. We observed the staff member directed the relative, by pointing to where they could collect a blanket from, they did not assist the relative or check that the person had suffered any ill-effects from being so cold."

But despite the home was noted for keeping records of medicines received into the premises and given to people.

The home was also aware of people who were allergic to certain medicines.

Residents at the home also said they felt safe living there and there was enough staff to look after them.

Overall the home was rated as inadequate for whether the service was safe, effective or well led.

It was also rated as requires improvement for whether the service was caring or responsive.

SOURCE: Elaine Davies, Lincolnshire Life

Care home crisis may force Theresa May to back steep hikes in council tax

There are warnings of an 'absolute crisis' in elderly care in the UK.

The ballooning costs of caring for Britain's ageing population may prompt Theresa May to support big rises in council tax bills, reports suggest.

It is believed that the prime minister is heeding warnings of an "absolute crisis" in social care funding, even though she reportedly stopped Chancellor Phillip Hammond from addressing the issue in his autumn statement in November.

Martin Green, who is chief executive of Care England, representing care home providers, warned that rising demand, cuts to public spending and costs associated with the national living wage have turned the care system into a "house of cards".

He told The Times: "The whole thing could topple over at any moment and those who are poor and vulnerable will suffer most."

Since March 2016, at least 250 residential care homes have closed, with 5,000 beds lost over the past 18 months. The number of days that hospital patients wait on wards for suitable home-care packages has increased by 224% since 2010, the paper reported.

Chief Inspector for Social Care Andrea Sutcliffe said: "The system is approaching a tipping point. We've got increased demand and potentially a restriction on capacity. Unless we really get to grips with some of these problems ... we will get to an absolute crisis."

Ex-Chancellor George Osborne allowed councils to charge the social care precept. It was initially set at 2%, which adds about £22.39 to an average Band D council tax bill.

Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, is expected to give local councils the right to increase the precept at a faster rate when he announces this year's town hall funding package. One option is to allow councils to set a precept at whatever level they choose, which could mean rises of up to 7%, or more than £100 a year.

Concerned about how politically toxic this could be, one senior Whitehall figure told The Times: "We know that this isn't going to be enough but it's a first step. Be in no doubt everyone across government is well aware that this is a major issue that needs urgent attention."

Labour peer Lord Lipsey warned that there could be mass closures of care homes: "There is a danger that poor people in poor areas will end up without care, living a squalid life. There could be care black spots because the homes that are reliant on state funding will become unsustainable."

SOURCE: Brendan Cole, International Business Times

Innovative aids to help the elderly stay safe and fit at home

Singapore is on the hunt for innovative devices that will help elderly citizens continue to live independently at home.

Such aids, meant to improve daily functioning in areas such as hearing or showering, should be easy to use, safe and cost-effective.

"We hope to attract multi-disciplinary research proposals that are scaleable and sustainable, and transform the way we see assistive devices today," said Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor as she called for proposals for such devices at a conference last week.

To date, about $8 million has been awarded to projects under the Care-at-Home Innovation Grant. Some involve having an e-marketplace to match volunteers with seniors requiring home care and a call centre service that will respond to seniors who need help.

Singapore can draw some ideas from Denmark, said Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Heng Chee How at a dialogue held between the two countries last month to exchange views on how to design elderly-friendly societies. It was organised by the Royal Danish Embassy.

"We can learn from the Danish experience in terms of the preventive and rehabilitative part of care," said Mr Heng, especially since Singapore is moving away from a model it is traditionally strong in, such as acute care, to improve its community- and home-based care.

"Assistive technology is going to become an increasingly important part of the story. As people live longer, how are you going to enable the individual to keep his functioning up for as long as possible?" he said.

Denmark has set up "living labs" countrywide to encourage innovation. Private firms can introduce the latest technology, including eldercare products, at these spaces, allowing government officials and citizens to test them and give feedback.

The inventions include a bed that helps turn a bedridden person on his back or side automatically, and a ceiling hoist that gently lifts a senior from his bed to a wheelchair.

Seniors in Denmark are invited to move into these living labs for a week or a month to try out the technologies for themselves.

Both countries are ageing rapidly. One in four people here will be 65 or above by 2030. Denmark will face a similar situation by 2040.

In recent years, the Danes have used technology to ramp up home care and rehabilitative care.

By 2019, all patients with lung disease in Denmark will monitor and manage their condition on their own at home using electronic devices. These aids will enable them to record and track vital signs, and hold regular videoconferences with nurses and doctors. There are plans to do the same for patients with diabetes and heart disease.

Danish residents are able to use technology to manage their own health at home because they have access to the national electronic health record system.

"I can go into the portal and see all my medicines, lab results, clinical notes written by my doctors, so I am empowered as a citizen to have insight into my own health," said Mr Hans Erik Henriksen, who is chief executive of Healthcare Denmark, a non-profit organisation that is partly supported by the government.

"Now, a lot of people live for a long time with chronic disease. That means it is not just about the doctor giving you a pill or sewing you back together any more - you have to manage it yourself at home," said Ms Ninna Thomsen, Copenhagen's health and care mayor.

Some assistive technology can also be used in daycare centres or nursing homes in the community. For instance, the Vennerslund Day Centre in Copenhagen partnered the Technical University of Denmark to introduce a game that helps seniors improve their balance and reaction times. Robotic tiles controlled by a tablet light up when the user steps on them in a certain sequence.

"I can't afford to buy it but noticed the fun we had when we played it together as a group," said Mr Hans Joergen, 80, who goes to the centre three times a week. The game, which costs about $7,000, is free for use at various daycare centres.

"It's fantastic to use technology this way to keep our limbs strong and nimble indoors when the weather outside isn't good for walking in the woods."

SOURCE: Janice Tai, Straits Times