The theme of the Care in Business Knowledge Exchange Project (KEP) project, led by Swansea in partnership with Bangor, Cardiff, Glamorgan and Glyndwr Universities, is Assisted Living, Care and New Technologies. The KEP has been supported by EU convergence funding. 

Assisted living technology plays an increasingly important role in maintaining independence and quality of life for older people and is seen as part of a solution to the preventative social and health care agenda for policy makers.

The project aims to create a shared vision of care and explore how new technologies and emerging trends in the ICT sector can be exploited innovatively to meet both care and carer needs.

A specific focus of the project is to increase participants’ knowledge of remote care – where a carer is able, through the innovative use of ICT, to maintain a caring role whilst in the work place or other location – and for participants to assist in the design and development of effective products and services for older people and their carers.

Speaking about the new project, Dr Sarah Hillcoat-Nallétamby from Swansea University’s Centre for Innovative Ageing said: “The care needs of older people are not met by current initiatives and new innovative, future models of care are necessary to meet the challenges and realise the opportunities of an increasing ageing population. 

“The Care for Business project is aiming to exchange knowledge and expertise between sectors and recognise the opportunities to develop assistive living products, processes and services and ultimately help to improve the quality of life for older people and carers.”

The project launch was marked with a day-long seminar on the theme of Assisted Living, Care and New Technologies, at Sketty Hall in Swansea.

A further four seminars will be organised over the next 18 months, enabling discussion, debate and knowledge exchange between the key partners and experts. 

The seminars offer a valuable opportunity for business, academia, social services, carer organisations and older people to work together to pioneer new innovations within an increasingly important and growing market.

For further information about the Care in Business project and details of forthcoming seminar events, please contact Mark Allen, Project Coordinator, Tel: 01792 602819, email: kepcareinbusiness@swansea.ac.uk.

Notes:

• The Care in Business Knowledge Exchange Project (KEP) follows a feasibility study that helped identify and quantify the market needs of businesses in Wales in relation to opportunities presented by an older population. This study, titled Linking Ageing Research with Business, included the whole spectrum of business and industry, including, but also spanning beyond, those organisations that aim to address the health and disability needs of older people.  The feasibility study, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government through the Academic Expertise for Business (A4B) programme, focused on three key areas: increased opportunity in new markets with older people; the changing needs of an ageing workforce and older people as entrepreneurs. A summary of the report can be downloaded here www.opanwales.org.uk/documents.htm.
• The Care in Business Knowledge Exchange Project (KEP) has been supported with a £145,032 grant from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Academic Expertise for Business (A4B) programme, supported by EU convergence funding.. 
• The Care in Business seminar series discussion topics will include ageing and the ageing process; needs of older people and barriers in relation to ICT; communication technologies to interconnect the care for person’s home environment, the carer’s business/work hub and other third party care settings such as care homes, GP surgeries and hospitals; user interactions which will investigate social and technical aspect of assisted living interface solutions drawing on expertise from user groups, suppliers and developers, and defines metrics and processes for assisted living system evaluations. 
• Swansea University is a world-class, research-led university situated in stunning parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower peninsula, the UK's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  Founded in 1920, the University now offers around 500 undergraduate courses and 150 postgraduate courses to more than 13,800 students.  Visit http://www.swansea.ac.uk/. Swansea University is a registered charity. No. 1138342. Mae Prifysgol Abertawe yn elusen gofrestredig. Rhif. 1138342.

This news item has been published by Beth Lauder, Swansea University Public Relations Office.  Tel: 01792 513245 Email: b.lauder@swansea.ac.uk