Hybrid Home Care Pilot Project

Abstract

1.The ‘Hybrid Home Care’ pilot project offers remote monitoring through video calls to eighty home care clients. The aim is to create an achievable and feasible ecosystem that integrates remote monitoring and home care services. The latter includes all types of non-medical support at home (e.g. cooking, personal hygiene) that help clients to live independently at home for as long as possible. The project is organised by three home care organizations (Familiehulp, Zorgband Leie & Schelde and i-mens) and Remote Carecenter Z-plus. It was funded by the Flemish Department of Welfare and the three participating organizations.
 2.Eighty home-care clients have received a tablet or television with an internet connection. Each client is contacted at least once a week through video call by one our caregiver. In addition to these weekly scheduled calls, the client can contact us 24/7 for a video conversation with a Z-plus operator. The device also allows clients to keep in touch with their family. However, participating clients often lacked digital skills. Therefore, we opted for a 'warm installation'. Our partner Zorg & Meer visited each client at home to install and demonstrate the hardware and software. Additional support is available.
 3.Our partner Artevelde University of Applied Sciences is researching the added value of Hybrid Home Care. Interim results are very encouraging and strengthen our believe that this hybrid form of care can be of tremendous value in many different ways.
 The newly acquired digital skills open many doors for them and amongst other things reduces loneliness by providing them with a new way to be connected to relatives. Relatives worry less about their loved one. Participating clients say they feel heard and generally feel better supported.
 The fact that our caregivers can see the client (as opposed to a telephone call) allows them to better assess the client's situation. This ensures that any needs will be picked up on sooner and any necessary preventive care measures can be implemented in time. 
 Not only the clients benefit from hybrid care. Our (video)team is very enthusiastic about the project as it allows them to combine their job as home-based care provider with less physically demanding desk work. They indicate that they enjoy really listening to the client, rather than engaging in superficial conversation while doing other tasks in the client’s home. Hybrid Home Care also allows caregivers to work from home. 
 4.Hybrid Home Care proves to be an opportunity to improve the quality of life for our clients, their loved ones and our employees. Our clients feel more connected to their caregivers and their family. Our employees can combine physically demanding work with working from home, improving their work-life balance. 
 5. Hybrid Care requires a reconsideration of how public care fundings are allocated. For that reason we are in consultation with the government throughout the project. While this pilot project has promising first results, we have yet to learn how clients will evaluate this remote care when it is no longer free.