Edinburgh Napier University

  Technology has been heralded as a potential enabler of communication between individuals and those in their informal or
professional care network. Enabling people to effectively talk about their needs and concerns is the first step in providing care that addresses these issues (avoid repeating concern) and supports recovery or rehabilitation. Technological solutions also have the potential to enhance communication among professionals who are increasingly encouraged to work more closely together across traditional boundaries to provide holistic healthcare that addresses individuals' health, social care and housing needs. However, for individuals with communication difficulties, expressing their needs is especially challenging and the inability to collect and share this information electronically potentially inhibits interagency working between health, social area and housing organisations. This can lead to avoidable mistakes in care, which reduce positive outcomes for these individuals. Harnessing - and developing - existing technology that enables talk between individuals with communication difficulties and their carers has potential to address communication barriers and enhance integrated care delivery between the health, social care and housing sectors.
Talking Mats is a social enterprise specialising in visualisation methods that aid communication in the self-management of care. Over the past 15 years Talking Mats have developed an innovative, award winning digital tool that helps people with communication difficulties, such as those with learning disabilities, living with
dementia or after a stroke, to express their thoughts and needs. This project will co-design, test and deliver a novel, visual, digital care management application. This application will be personalised to the needs of individuals with communication difficulties and will facilitates inter-professional collaboration between health, social care and housing professionals. This will improve how information is collected and shared, enhancing the delivery of care services and the quality of life for people with communication difficulties. The project further develops the uses of Talking Mats technology into the housing
sector, thereby increasing Talking Mats market reach and potential impact as well as diversifying their offering.
Our partners Age Scotland and the Wheatley Group will provide a clear avenue for Talking Mats to engage with. These partners have over 1,000 voluntary organisations, representing 250,000 older people, throughout the UK. Increased availability of the new tool with have benefits for the health, social care and housing sectors by improving how data are collected and shared between agencies, resulting in lasting impacts on the quality of life of individuals with communication difficulties across the UK and internationally.