How to improve the adoption of digital services in aged care

Insights

12 Aug

The effective adoption of technology requires a baseline of skills - here’s how we take workforces and clients from ‘zero to one’.

In a world of snap lockdowns and restrictions, aged care providers seek to broaden their care methods to include digital at home offerings like telehealth and wellness programs, in addition to face-to-face care. And to manage their workforce cost-effectively and efficiently, software has become an essential part of the mix. But with an older workforce and a client base with a traditional fear of technology, digital adoption is a challenge.

One aged care SaaS provider shared that new technology or software adoption of their solutions in aged care can be met with confusion, and even resistance by an older workforce. The change management required to transform the organisation becomes a much longer process.

In adopting a digitally enabled model of care, providers must keep quality of care as the top priority and consider how technology can enhance, supplement and improve upon care provision in order for widespread uptake. Critically they must enable their workforce and clientele with the skills to adopt it.

Investing in the digital skills of the workforce to go from zero to one

By investing in the digital skills of the workforce as well as the clients they support, you can build the skills infrastructure to improve the take up of new online care services and technology. This in turn can improve your financial situation through better cost management, new online offerings, and the potential to attract new customers.

Zero to one is how we articulate a digital confidence level. Our programs and coaching are designed to take workforces and seniors from a digital confidence level of zero to a confidence level of one. If their confidence goes beyond that, even better.

The essence is a mindset or attitude - not the skills. It’s about the essential confidence and motivation that is required for anyone to learn a new skill. If an individual doesn’t have any appetite or motivation to learn the digital skills, whether they are a senior, carer or care worker - then the learning won’t happen.

In order to build confidence and overcome fear for someone, the initial stages of learning are critical. By taking the extra time that may be needed, we can motivate an individual to be ready to move to the next stage where we typically hear “That wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be”.

YourLink approaches zero to one in a few different ways:

A personal on-boarding process or ‘welcome session’ with a Digital Coach to give an individual what they need to confidently navigate through their device and join future online training
Structured learning programs for the workforce bringing together practical tips and up-skilling to lift the confidence of teams
Social learning programs based on adult learning styles and the fundamentals that develop the skills and tap into the motivation of clients
Dedicated follow-up and support to further embed learning and answer questions.

The benefits for providers and organisations

A residential and home care aged care provider partnered with us in 2020 to roll out a digital inclusion program for their workforce and clients. It was the height of COVID-19 but this was not something that deterred them. Their motivation was to provide top quality care for their clients and by enabling digital skills for seniors and care workers they were able to improve their service delivery options and communicate more effectively with them. After multiple lockdowns in the Victorian state, these skills have provided an essential element of stability across the organisation.

YourLink has now trained more than 4,500 care workers, seniors and carers. We know aged care. Talk to us about how we could enable your organisation to be more digitally effective and what solutions would work best for your organisation. We can also help guide you to the Government grants available to support.