Setting the scene regarding elder abuse in care homes and the current technological tools that could assist.

From The MICRA Occasional Lunchtime Lecture Series

Thursday 21 September 2017L

- Lunchtime “Brown Bag Seminar” 1pm – 2pm (tea and coffee provided, please bring your own lunch!)

- Room 2.07 Humanities Bridgeford Street

There are considerable concerns about the incidences of elder abuse that take place within care settings. Those concerns are heightened because of uncertainties regarding its prevalence and the potential measures, utilising surveillance technologies that can be seen as enabling the identification of and/or protection against abuse. This presentation sets the scene regarding elder abuse in care homes and the current technological tools that could assist. Reference is made to relevant information on the topic provided by the CQC and to experience in the US and Australia. Challenging questions that relate to personal privacy, how such privacy might be protected, and how this can link to notions of care, are explored. Finally, the seven principles (previously set out by the presenter) that could underpin the use of surveillance technologies in care homes are visited and their potential wider adoption for use in home care is considered.

Presented by Dr Malcolm Fisk. In his De Montfort University capacity Dr Malcolm Fisk leads the European Commission funded PROGRESSIVE project (see www.progressivestandards.org ) that is addressing ‘standards around ICT for active and healthy ageing’. This project focuses on key issues that relate to smart homes, telehealth, co-creation and interoperability. It begun on 1st October 2016 and involves 10 partners including EHTEL (the European Health Telematics Association) and AGE Platform Europe. Amongst other things (see below) he has taken a special interest in the use of surveillance technologies and recently published (in Working with Older People) an article setting out 7 principles to underpin their use. As Director of the Telehealth Quality Group (TQG) Malcolm is actively engaged in supporting the development of telehealth services according to appropriate service paradigms (see www.telehealth.global). At the heart of this work are quality benchmarks for telehealth (relating to a wide range of domains and very much from a service user / consumer perspective). This includes the development and promotion of a well-respected International Code of Practice for Telehealth Services. Malcolm’s other roles include being an expert advisor for ANEC: The European Consumer Voice on Standardisation. Representing the consumer interest he is a participant in two European CEN Committees - relating to standards around generic issues for health and specific issues concerned with the quality of care for older people. Malcolm is a member of a Quality Standards Advisory Committee for NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. He is expert Advisor to the European Commission Coordination Hub for Open Robotics. Previously Malcolm was appointed by Welsh Government to Chair the National Partnership Forum for Older People and subsequently to provide expert advice on for a relating to addressing poverty and inequality; and the housing and related support needs for older people.