Care minister calls for care homes to get online after research shows 1/5th of residents have no WiFi

Care minister Caroline Dinenage is urging every care home to install WiFi!

In 2016, the UN defined internet access as a human right, yet the survey which was carried out by 2,803 care home owners, managers and care workers also found 16 per cent of staff don’t even know if there is any WiFi in their care home.

Of those care homes that do have WiFi, access to the service is mixed, with 18 per cent saying WiFi is only available in communal areas and just 45 per cent saying access is available in both bedrooms and communal areas. Two per cent said there is WiFi in just the bedrooms.

Minister for Care Caroline Dinenage said: "I want to see every care home getting online as WiFi can help residents stay connected with loved ones, reducing the impact of loneliness, supporting independence and even encouraging the grandchildren to visit.

"WiFi coverage can also support greater use of new technologies such as electronic care planning or medication management software that can improve the way care is provided."

'Shocking' that so many care home residents have no access to WiFi

“Keeping residents connected to the world they have left behind should be a priority for care homes. Social media, email and WhatsApp groups are such an easy way for residents to stay in touch with friends and family. Yet the elderly is being excluded and given no voice.

“Being in touch digitally is now a human right and it is very sad that thousands of care home residents are being prevented from communicating with the outside world.”

The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) has installed free WiFi throughout all its 70 care homes

OSJCT Admiral Nurse, Angie Williams, who specialises in care for residents living with dementia has found that having WiFi not only benefits the visitors, but also gives residents the access to tools to help with dementia care.

She said: “The Trust has been forward in its thinking with providing WiFi in all of its care homes. We have to move with the times and give families every opportunity that they can to keep in touch with their loved ones once they come to live with us. Not only do we use wi-fi as a communication tool helping to keep families in touch, but many homes use technology as part of the activities by creating life stories and individual music playlists. Having WiFi has opened so many doors, and quite a few residents have their own iPads or laptops.”

Susie Ritchie aged 78, who lives at OSJCT Madley Park care home in Oxfordshire, says: “The Wi-Fi in the home is really useful for me because I can do all my online shopping (mainly products from Amazon) and keep in contact with my relatives on Facebook.”

Somerset Care says effects of technology on social isolation are 'profound'

Somerset Care, which partnered with Exeter University on an international project looking at the role of technology in alleviating social isolation, is in the process of rolling out free WiFi across its 27 care homes.

Gary Ridewood, its chief financial officer and interim chief executive said: “The effects of the technology during the project were profound. This is why all of our homes have WiFi in the communal areas as a minimum, we currently have 14 care homes with complete Wi-Fi coverage across all rooms with plans to complete all our homes by January.

“We actively promote the use of Skype and social media to help people stay in touch as easily as possible, and we have employed a specific ‘care technologist’ to support our homes with this.”

Somerset Care has seen many examples of its residents benefitting from the use of technology including enabling several occasions where residents were able to participate virtually in family weddings which they weren’t able to attend, yet Skype enabled them to still be part of the proceedings.

Technology is also used in reminiscence activities at its care homes, where they have used the internet and virtual reality equipment to bring experiences to life.

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