In a recent study, conducted by the Academic Workshop Technology for Home, 41 residents of The Hague who live at home and require care were interviewed about their use of healthcare technology. The aim of the study was to understand which technological tools these residents use in their daily lives and what they think of the Technology for Home Explorer. This Explorer is a website of the municipality of The Hague that helps residents find smart and useful technologies that suit their healthcare needs.

Many differences in use

The conversations with the participants in the study show that there are many differences in the use of technology. Some people use smartphones, tablets and smart doorbells, while others use no technology or internet at all. The reasons for not using technology vary from lack of interest to insufficient explanation or information, financial limitations or because they do not see the benefits.

The participants who are interested in technology would like to use it for various purposes, such as household chores, improving safety and connecting with others.

Improvements

A positive finding from the research was the appreciation for the Technology for Home Explorer. The participants find the website valuable because it gives them a good overview of the different solutions available. In addition to gathering insights, it has also yielded areas for improvement for the Explorer. For example, it has become clear that help and guidance in completing the Explorer and the place where this can be done are very important. These improvement points are used to improve the website so that it meets the needs of the users even better.

Academic Workshop

The Academic Workplace Technology for the Home aims to bundle and promote knowledge, use and developments in the field of technology for the home. The Academic Workshop is a collaboration between ten partners: The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the municipality of The Hague, Saffier, Pieter van Foreest, Basalt, Tzorg, Voorall, the Urban Elderly Commission, ROC Mondriaan and the LUMC.