My research on WELFARE TECHNOLOGY: when technology equipments can make your life better
Hello Steemians!
I want to share with you my research project that I'm following in Norway. It's about welfare technology, and technologies used for care and wellbeing in general.
the telemedicine department in Kristiansand
I'm not interested in the engineering part, because what I'm particularly interested in are the social and political aspects of these technologies.
It's a very interesting topic, on which it would be important to invest in order to have better resources to face future economical and demographic challenges.
Well, I have been researching in this field since 3 months, I did a lot of interviews to researchers, nurses, coordinators projects, political people and I want to show you the benefits and the disadvantages related to the use of that kind of technologies, especially for elderly people.
videocamera used as a phone as well
GPS, personal safety alarm
In the group of SUCCESS FACTORS I can menty:
- much more possibility for people to stay at home as long as possible;
- allows people to take care of themselves;
- much more better quality of life
- more prevention actions
- more quality of health care services
...basically, it's a Win-Win solution, both for providers and for users!
Anyway, it's unrealistic to think that there are no RISKS. Those I can describe as drawbacks are:
- care work could be transformed into that of IT technician;
- partial or complete loss of the emotional component of the care relationship;
- improper use of the technologies and the data they produce: technologies such as pervasive control system for the patients;
- inadequate solutions to the real needs of the users
Most of the people interviewed say that artificial intelligence and robots could be the future. I don't know if it will be so in the future, but I'm sure that a more responsible and integrated way of using technologies is required.
Thank's for your upvote, and your comments! Don't forget to follow me!
:))
This was a very interesting article. Any place where technology can assist people, it needs to be utilised.
On the other hand, I am not a big fan of welfare (for able-bodied people) as it discourages self-development and advancement.
Thank you @business-trail for your comment.
I understand what are you saying. I think that, like everything in life, also this kind of things must be balanced. It's necessary that the efforts are taken with the purpose to allow people to be much more independent, giving them the possibility and the resources to take care themselves during all life long. In this way, the big machine of welfare could be reduced.