Assisted Living Technology - from Idea to Reality - The Municipality of Aarhus Denmark 2010
THE MUNICIPALITY OF AARHUS The City of Aarhus is a politically governed service organisation with 33,000 employees and an annual gross turnover of DKK 21 billion, corresponding to approx. EUR 3 billion. Aarhus is a growing city. With more than 300,000 inhabitants, it is second-largest city of Denmark and the youngest city in terms of the average age of its citizens. Aarhus is a city of students Aarhus University is no. 63 on the top 100 of the world s 17,000 universities. Aarhus has 40,000 students at fourteen educational and research institutions. Aarhus is a city of business International businesses have established and have a strong presence in the city. The Port of Aarhus has continuously expanded and is an important container hub to the Baltic Sea region. The infrastructure is excellent by sea, land and air. Aarhus is a city of culture A visionary media library as well as other cultural projects is ready to launch their building phases. Aarhus has also launched its bid to become the European City of Culture in 2017. Aarhus is a city of renewable energy The wind power industry has a strong presence in and around Aarhus, and Aarhus wants to be Denmark s number one energy city with strong focus on education, knowledge and innovation. The city also wants to be CO2 neutral by 2030. Aarhus is a city of development Over the next 20 years the city is expected to continue growing estimated 75,000 new inhabitants, 20,000 new homes, 50,000 new jobs and 10,000 extra students.
CHALLENGES In order to meet the future needs for maintaining the high quality in health and elderly care, introducing assistive technology as future means are considered important. The Municipality of Aarhus aims at being a birthplace for testing, demonstrating and developing assistive technology in Denmark. Therefore, the future needs for building network, national and international connections, and presenting new technology for health and elderly care will be prioritized in the years ahead. It is the intention for the Municipality of Aarhus to prepare the future elderly care with services and assisting technology in order to make the citizens aware of their own abilities and to become more self-reliant. Generally, technological solutions will in the future be considered in the context of citizens with cognitive impairment. 4 STRATEGIC CHALLENGES FOR THE MUNICIPALITY OF AARHUS 1. Citizens (living in private as well as public nursing homes) will all need: - Availability and opportunity to move around - Independent use of the toilet, sink, and bathing facilities - Communication and social contact (technical facilities) - Daily excursions, activities, and considering the physical placement - Dignity and hosting - Personal responsibility and training 2. From ordinary use of the assistive technology to designing everyday life - Through empowerment and user-driven incentives to develop the future facilities for the citizens 3. From care-needed patient to self-reliant citizen - Introducing telemedicine - Integrate documentation and communication in daily working processes with other technical devices 4. Focus on derived societal values - Environmental and production of energy in official non-polluting buildings
Test sites for new technologies
VISION The Municipality of Aarhus will conduct demonstrations, testing, collaboration, and contribute to the development of future welfare technology. Citizens must be able to live a more independent life on their own terms. The employees of the Municipality must be relieved of heavy and routine tasks. Welfare must be strengthened through improved cooperation and communication between hospitals, physicians and home care. The main public purpose is to ensure that new technological capabilities are developed and implemented, benefits both the citizens and the employees. THE TECHNOLOGY MUST HELP TO SOLVE A FUTURE LABOUR SHORTAGE The focus on introducing technology within the Municipality should be viewed in light of the fact that a growing proportion of citizens require health and welfare services, while the coming generations in the labour market is becoming smaller. Therefore it will eventually be more difficult for the Municipality to recruit employees who can perform the tasks. NEW PROFILE Development work will be done in close cooperation with citizens, employees and relevant organizations. It is expected that the Municipality of Aarhus will be profiled by the city of Aarhus, creating value adding development through a focused collaboration between public and private stakeholders as well as research and educational institutions. Aarhus City is internationally known for its development work on welfare technology.
Various technologies being tested and implemented
STRATEGY Development, demonstration, and procurement of new technologies are included in the strategy of the Municipality of Aarhus to help ensure the right solutions to the challenges that lays ahead for the quality of service. The Municipality of Aarhus participates in a wide range of projects and activities within the welfare technology area. The Municipality of Aarhus manages some projects alone and participates in other major cross municipal consortiums and with the involvement of relevant private actors. NEW STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES The great emphasis on securities and common fund reflects the current portfolio of projects, since some projects have a character of development of new technologies, while others aim to demonstrate and test well-known technology. A large part of the projects have a limited timeframe, which means that results will present results currently and what impact the technology has had. Therefore, the Municipality of Aarhus aims to be at the forefront, so any new versions and experiences from other places is helping to ensure a future implementation of the right technology when the need arises and can be beneficial for both citizens and employees. The Municipality of Aarhus intends to implement technologies that add a value to those using it. Thus, the future technological focus will consider both existing as well as the development of new assistive technologies as long as the need and use of it benefits the end-users.
The Municipality of Aarhus is represented at various national and international venues
NEEDS & WANTS 10 major needs for developing the quality and service within the welfare sector Increased assistance for citizens to become self-reliant e.g. introduction of home automation Facilitation of workflow e.g. implementation of robotics to facilitate routines such as cleaning Development of remote care e.g. automatic control of windows, thermostats, lights etc. Safety systems e.g. operating via sensors, detectors and messages Easy access for citizens to communicate with relatives and service staff e.g. through teleconference facilities Simplified administration with regard to registration and documentation e.g. telecommunication and personal identification systems Easy access for relatives e.g. automatic locks, access to information and assistance Simple reminder of agreements, medicine and activities e.g. via mobile phone services Registrations of missing medicine, activity at night, and other potentially dangerous situations
International trends and perspectives Sweden - February 2010 Focus: Elderly homes and technologies Berlin, Germany - 2007 Focus: Rehabilitation Japan - February 2008 & April 2010 Focus: New technologies Holland - October 2008 Focus: Housing technologies Rep. of Korea - November 2010 Focus: New technologies and cooperation
PERSPECTIVES The citizens want to take care of their own life and wellbeing - The Aarhus White Paper Future Needs 2010 The Municipality of Aarhus currently participates in 6 regional, national, and international networks; however interests on all areas regarding technological solutions are welcome. Thus the Municipality of Aarhus intends to develop, support and be an active partner in future networks. The Municipality of Aarhus is interested in exploring the market for new technologies; both in regards to developing and testing new technologies. The Municipality of Aarhus has a political focus on introducing technology. Therefore technological devices and solutions wherever the potential can be shown are intended to be implemented as a mean to sustain the quality of service within the public sector. The Municipality of Aarhus is constantly looking for international inspiration, technologies and private companies to develop the future technologies adapted to the Danish public sector.
For further information please contact: The Municipality of Aarhus Assisted Living Technology Soeren Frichs Vej 36 M DK 8230 Aabyhoej Phone: +45 8940 6587 Fax: +45 8940 6996 Website: www.velfaerdsteknologi-aarhus.dk Head of office Assisted Living Technology Phone: +45 89406587 Mr. Ivan Kjaer Lauridsen Mobile: +45 51576079 E-mail: ijk@aarhus.dk Coordinator the Secretariat for Assisted Living Technology Mr. Mads Munk Jepsen Phone: +45 8940 6484 E-mail: mamje@aarhus.dk