Simple but smart system keeps the elderly and their carers connected
A simple, smart device created for elderly people over 80 who have little or no experience with technology was found to be particularly helpful in healthcare and care home settings. It is now being turned into a professional platform with the help of EU funding. The KOMP device is a 17-inch computer screen, with a simple button to turn it off and on, which can receive text, photos and videos. It was originally developed by the Norwegian company No Isolation to eliminate technical barriers to connecting elderly people with their more tech-savvy family members. There are no complex functions for a user to learn and no need for a touchscreen, just a simple rotating button that is easy to see. “The device creates a social network centred around grandma or grandpa for everyone to share moments. It has had a huge effect in terms of the quality of the conversations,” says Simon Oliver Ommundsen, chief product officer at No Isolation.
Professional interface links to several devices
The company did not originally foresee health and care staff using it as a work tool which would involve them sending content to multiple KOMP devices. But as demand existed, the EU has helped fund the development of the KOMP Pro platform for professional use. Through the Pro interface, staff have an overview of several devices and can connect with the user and their family. This enables them to collect data to help plan visits and other interactions with patients. In institutional settings it can be used to inform elderly of various activities and encourage them to participate. “For instance, it can help improve the user’s appetite by sharing photos of what is being prepared for that day’s meals,” Ommundsen adds. KOMP Pro has a calendar function for different events and reminders, and generates a schedule that can also be customised for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It can be set up to have illustrations of what time of the day it is.
Use in nursing homes and care visits
The company has a large project with the Oslo municipality where KOMP Pro is currently used in nursing homes. “It is mainly used to keep elderly users in touch with their family because they are isolated due to [COVID-19] lockdowns and also a lot of family members live far away,” Ommundsen explains. Also, carers making home visits often have to drive long distances in Norway. KOMP Pro replaces some visits with video reminders or checks. “Some elderly users would rather have health visitors come when only when they are needed, rather than regular visits. Contact occurring between visits can be replaced by KOMP video, which is also efficient for the healthcare service,” Ommundsen says. “Feedback from carers has been surprisingly good,” he notes. “One of our first pilots was with a city council in Norway and they said they could reduce the number of visits from four to two a day and the user was still happy,” says KOMP Pro project coordinator Carl Bjurstrøm, in-house lawyer for No Isolation. The EU funding has enabled the company to create a business plan for expansion into the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom, which are quite different markets. Agreements were signed in Sweden where pilot projects have been launched in Stockholm and Gothenburg, while several pilots have started in the United Kingdom.
Keywords
KOMP Pro, healthcare, care home, isolation, loneliness, dementia, Alzheimer’s, elderly
