Abstract
Given the increasing numbers of elders in need of support living at home, digital solutions are developed to ensure good home-based care and support. From a perspective of qualitative urban sociology, the presented study aims to provide an overview of existing technologies for communication as well as networking social support for older adults especially in rural areas, as well as requirements for their dissemination. The focus is on digital networking via apps and platforms in Germany that provide digital support in the areas of participation/communication, mutual aid and/or professional services for older adults. For this purpose, interviews with representatives of 12 projects as well as workshops were conducted. Support mediated via the digital solutions was not always accepted as expected, not even during the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure a sustainable and long-term use of the digital solutions, it is necessary to take into account the digital skills of the users, to deploy a supervisor and local networker, to find a suitable spatial dimension, to create an awareness of existing problems on site and to anchor the support in suitable structures.
Highlights
Introduction of a caretakerCreate the position of a full-time, low-threshold caretaker in close proximity to the users, as a multiplier, local networker, and for technical support Effort and Costs12
Support for analog services: Support of existing and new analog offers on site for networking with the digital solution
We examined 12 different digital solutions, such as platforms and apps in Germany, that aim at communication and/or networking of those needing support and of formal and informal helpers and which address older adults in home-based living settings as atarget group
Summary
Introduction of a caretakerCreate the position of a full-time, low-threshold caretaker in close proximity to the users, as a multiplier, local networker, and for (initial) technical support Effort and Costs12. Create the position of a full-time, low-threshold caretaker in close proximity to the users, as a multiplier, local networker, and for (initial) technical support Effort and Costs. Consideration of effort and (follow-up) costs: Realistic assessment of personnel effort; consideration of personnel, operating and usage costs (especially for open-source codes). Reuse and further development of existing digital solutions, instead of new developments and “isolated” solutions. Consideration of simple, intuitive and barrier-free operation. Strengthening identification to promote use Selection of suitable area size citizens identify with.
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