CHALLENGE
Nursing home residents depend on good solutions that support their everyday life , and they depend on others to understand their needs and turn them into products and services.

Can nursing home residents and staff take part in public-private innovation? And can companies create better products and solutions by moving the development environment to the senior citizens?

The vast majority of nursing home residents have impaired physical and/or mental function. How can their needs be met?

FINDINGS
Nursing home resident can also be involved in user-driven innovation. But it is essential that the process take place on the seniors’ terms and in accordance with the facts of everyday life in a nursing home.

Senior citizens can improve their quality of life considerably with the development of solutions that help the users help themselves.

When companies move their test environments to where the users are, the result is superior solutions and faster development processes.

SOLUTION
An ethnological study led to eight innovation tracks for companies could pursue. The companies then developed and tested ideas, prototypes and products for increasing the quality of life for nursing home residents. The project worked with outdoor exercise equipment, a digital calendar, coaching conversations, a concept for drug management, tracking systems as well as automatic sun screening and automatic door systems.
The companies use the knowledge they acquired through the project to refine their solutions and, ultimately, market them.

Partners involved Danish Rehab Group, The Danish IT Industry Association, Confederation of Danish Industry, Microsoft, LederForum and Aalborg University.
Participating companies Sundhed & Livsmod, Abilia, Durewall Institute, Microwarm, Association of Danish Pharmacies, Safecall, Somfy, Nørholm & Lemming.
Project management The Health and Care Administration, Municipality of Copenhagen.
Consultants Copenhagen Living Lab
Others involved Plejecentret Sølund - Denmark’s largest nursing home with approximately 450 residents and 400 employees.