Periodic Reporting for period 1 - mecasa-AI (Inclusive innovation bringing the digitalizing world to the changing care needs and preferences of Europe’s ageing population)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2020-01-01 al 2020-05-31
EU population today is the oldest it has ever been with around 102 million people that are 65 years and older. This number is forcasted to rise to 150 million and account for 30% of the overall EU population by 2050. Already today, the EU’s unprecedented ageing has led to a tremendous skills shortage in caregiving. Since most European seniors wish to remain in their own home if in need of care, new approaches such as informal live-in care are required. Therefore, both the EU and its member states are desperately searching for ways to provide high-quality care while opening the door to technological innovation.
To overcome the caregiving gap Mecasa develops an online platform for matching seniors in need if support with informal live-in caregivers. To ensure personal fit among seniors and caregivers Mecasa performs a psychological matching that considers character traits, communication preferences and emotional states. This approach not only closes the caregiving gap but also prevents early termination of caregiving relationships due to a lack of fit. Furthermore, the platform-based approach digitizes the entire caregiving process and hence establishes transparency, care quality and fair working conditions.
To overcome the caregiving gap Mecasa develops an online platform for matching seniors in need if support with informal live-in caregivers. To ensure personal fit among seniors and caregivers Mecasa performs a psychological matching that considers character traits, communication preferences and emotional states. This approach not only closes the caregiving gap but also prevents early termination of caregiving relationships due to a lack of fit. Furthermore, the platform-based approach digitizes the entire caregiving process and hence establishes transparency, care quality and fair working conditions.
The overall project consisted of a technological feasibility study, a business model validation, a search for potential partners, a comprehensive risk assessment, and an in-depth IP assessment. The results of the technological feasibility study clearly demonstrated the potential of digitizing senior care – especially within the domain of live-in care. The study further revealed the crucial role of emotions and individual character traits in happy senior-caregiver relationships. In addition, the business model validation confirmed the hypothesis of enormous market potential within caregiving as well as in other sectors. Furthermore, the partner search resulted into a list of potential and high-profile collaborators.
In context of a rapidly ageing EU population, the project has demonstrated the exorbitant potential of digital solutions in the world of caregiving. If done right, millions of seniors will be enabled to remain in their own homes even if they require a substantial amount of home care. From a societal point of view, this will relieve nursing relatives, care providers, health and long-term care insurers, as well as society as a whole.