In Sweden, as in many European countries, the proportion of older persons is growing rapidly, while the number of health and social care workers is declining and projected to decrease further. This combination—a rising elderly population and a shrinking care workforce—threatens eldercare services and underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions. Welfare technology is seen as one potential solution to this challenge. Welfare technology covers the use of various devices and tools within a home- or residence-based care setting, such as robots, sensors, GPS alarms and nocturnal digital surveillance tools. These technologies aim to improve the life quality of older persons and persons with disabilities. However, evidence supporting the benefits of welfare technology remains limited, with few studies exploring its practical effects and ethical implications for older persons. Despite this, welfare technology is already widely used as a strategic tool in Swedish health and social care. This project seeks to address these gaps by developing evidence-based recommendations to support the widespread adoption of WT in a way that is both effective and ethically responsible, ensuring they uphold the privacy and autonomy of older persons.

Projektinformation

• Organisation: Högskolan i Skövde
• Beviljat belopp: 5 300 000 SEK
• Startdatum: 2026-01-01
• Slutdatum: 2028-12-31
• Projektledare: Hanife Rexhepi