Assisted Living Technologies for Older People at Home: creating a knowledge base for businesses and commissioners about falls and dementia patients

AKTIVE is directed by Professor Sue Yeandle and is being developed by four partners: CIRCLE at the University of Leeds (lead partner); the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing (Oxford University); Tunstall Healthcare (UK) Ltd; and Inventya Solutions Ltd. These partners are working with a wider AKTIVE consortium, includingexperts from medicine, design, risk, disability and ergonomics, telecare commissioners in two local authorities and agencies representing older people, carers and care workers. It is funded from June 2011-May 2014 and investigates:
• What are the characteristics of older people (especially with dementia and / or susceptibility to falls) who use telecare?
• How is telecare equipment used in private homes?
• How and in what ways can unpaid carers benefit from the use of telecare in older peoples' homes?
• What are the barriers to the adoption of telecare for individuals, families and service providers?
• Does telecare offer opportunities to improve job design and quality for care workers, providers and commissioners?
• What are the main features of the market for telecare and what can be done to enhance innovation and improve take-up?