Remote Assistance for Home Care Workers: Concept and Technical Implementation at a Glance

Abstract

Background: Long-term care faces severe challenges on the supply (shortages of formal and informal carers) as well as on the demand side (increasing number of care-dependent people). To cope with these challenges, new forms of support for the professional care network are needed. Objectives: This paper describes the concept and implementation of a Remote Care Assist (RCA) service, consisting of a web-application for the Care Expert Center (CXC) and Remote Support (RS) applications for the HoloLens 2 as well as for Android and iOS smartphones. Methods: Using the evidence-based and user-centred innovation process (EUIP), a Remote Care Assist service was conceptualized and implemented for home care service settings in three European countries. Results: After five iterations within two phases of the EUIP, the final feature set of the RCA-service was determined and implemented. Conclusion: By working closely with the target group, it was possible to identify potential hurdles and additional requirements such as a well-thought-out interaction concept for the HoloLens or a good organizational embedding of the service.