Sociotechnical innovations for caring communities : Conditions for success in participatory and integrative technology development

Abstract

The increasing need for nursing support in the home environment is accompanied by adecline in the willingness and possibilities for family care (among other things, due to social fragmentation and individualization). New forms of social support networks (caring communities) are therefore needed in which professional players collaborate together with informal caregivers and volunteer helpers. In this context, digitalization can be an instrument that can support the design and coordination of care arrangements for older people at the sociospatial level; however, afundamental prerequisite is that the corresponding technologies are developed in aparticipatory manner and integrated into existing structures. This means not only that the needs and requirements of future users are comprehensively included in the developmental process but also that they become active co-decision makers. Furthermore, the developed technology should be oriented to established care structures and sociospatial conditions. This conceptual contribution addresses these two requirements and uses aconcrete case study from aparticipatory technology development project to show how sociotechnical innovations for and with caring communities can be developed, implemented and made usable in such away that they become sustainably effective.