Government boosts budget for Registered Social Landlord Adaptations Programme in bid to use tech-enabled care to reduce hospital admissions
The Scottish government is to more than double the budget for an initiative that employs technology in housing association properties to help older people remain independent for longer and prevent falls and hospital admissions. That’s good for the older people themselves, while easing pressure on the wider health service and cutting long-term costs.
Photo by Artful Homes / Unsplash
To achieve this, the budget for the Registered Social Landlord Adaptations Programme will rise by £12.7m this year, from £8.2m to 20.9m.
Last week, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, paid a visit to Bield Housing Association’s ‘tech hub’ in Linlithgow, to see a range of cutting-edge adaptations that already make a positive difference to the lives of older people – while also saving public money.
She tech solutions she saw demonstrated included:
- Anthropos, a predictive analytics system that monitors routines and spots early signs of decline
- Sentai, a voice-enabled ‘companion’ designed to support innovative digital care, enhance daily life, keep individuals connected and promote a healthier, more independent lifestyle.
- Vayyar, a 4D radar fall-detection sensor requiring no wearables
Bield’s tech hub is the only demonstration site in Scotland for the UK-wide Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) project.
Having seen the demonstrations, Ms Somerville said: ‘Scotland faces significant challenges as our population ages and it is preventative, people-focused approaches like this that will help us deliver better outcomes for older people while making the best use of public resources. That is why we announced in our Programme for Government that we would more than double the budget this year for the Registered Social Landlord’s Adaptations Programme from £8.2m to £20.9m to allow housing associations to plan and deliver more adaptations for their tenants.
‘This financial year we are also investing £768m in affordable housing, the majority of which will be for social rent. This reflects our long-standing commitment to ensure everyone in Scotland has a safe and affordable home to live in.’
Debbie Collins, Chief Executive of Bield, adds: ‘Investing in the right housing and technology supports older people to manage their health, stay connected, and live independently – reducing reliance on formal care and helping to avoid preventable hospital stays.
‘We believe housing must be seen as part of the health and care infrastructure and that continued investment in digital solutions and accessible homes not only improve people’s lives but delivers public value by saving money in the long-term.’
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