Customer Driven Need Albyn. Housing Society had a tenant who died in one of our homes and lay undiscovered for over a year. This tenant lived in a semi-detached home in a small Highland village, had been linked to public sector support but had chosen to disassociate themselves from it and had not made relationships in the community. This sad incident was picked up by the Housing Regulator who asked Xxxxx to find a solution to prevent this type of event recurring. Xxxxx worked with the University of the Highlands and Islands to establish what was already available in the market, and what our tenants would find acceptable. We established that the only current solution to the challenge would have been a wearable technology solution and, since the individual had no need for wearing such an item prior to this illness, that solution would not have worked in this case. It was very clear from our discussions that people did not want to be associated with wearable alarms unless they had an incident or were frightened. There is no other market- ready alternative, therefore there is a gap in the market. We strongly believe that ambient technology needs to be sourced or developed to fill this requirement. In addition, the solution developed should not just be targeted at elderly or disabled people, but should also be a wellness solution that can be used by anyone at any stage of their life. From the build perspective, adaptable homes that are efficient to run, environmentally friendly to build and affordable for social rent, are in short supply. These homes, when coupled with a range of technology options and linked to a health and social care system, provide options for care that are currently not available. Creating homes that facilitate care ‘at home’ is both socially highly desirable and economically attractive. Hospital costs, per day, are £300-£370, dependent on xxxx type. If we can provide care at home, at scale, where it is appropriate to do so, there are likely to be efficiency savings. Equally, residential and nursing home costs are high, up to £2000 per week. Therefore if tenants can be adequately supported in their own homes, there are potential savings to be realised and re-invested.
