This two day event will focus on two linked topics. The first day will explore ‘wearables’ and the second day will investigate ‘the caring home’. Rates are available for one day or two days.

*******DAY ONE: HOW CAN WEARABLES IMPROVE HEALTH AND CARE?*******

The purpose of day one is to explore the many ways in which worn technology can improve the health and wellbeing of patients. The popular image, much promoted by major suppliers, is of devices to improve the performance of elite sportsmen and serious fitness types. Wear one, the adverts suggest, and you will instantly become healthier. The reality is of course very different. Indeed the marketing focus of wearables on younger people means that those who would typically benefit most – the older and the frail – often are not offered the benefits of appropriately chosen kit.

Therefore, day one of this event aims to counter that impression by helping attendees to understand the wide range of wearables available that confer health and wellbeing benefits. As such it will be appropriate for any clinician with an enquiring mind keen to understand what more wearables can do to improve the lives of their patients.

Particular themes include the use of wearables to enable dignity, to support public health, to assist in clinical drug trials, to provide sensory enhancement for disabled people, to cure musculoskeletal disorders, and to measure physical activity. The devices covered will be everything from skin tattoos, through clothing to intelligent ostomy bags.

*******DAY TWO: THE CARING HOME*******

Day two of the event will be concentrate on the caring home. The two areas of smart homes and assisted living have developed separately however there are two clear areas of overlap. The objective of both smart homes and assisted living is to improve the quality of life (QoL) of the residents and there is also overlap in terms of technology in that they both use the telecommunications infrastructure.

In both areas there has been considerable research and pilot activity but progress towards large scale implementation has been slow. The need to build on good practice in these areas is now even more pressing with the statement from NHS England that “out-of-hospital care needs to become a much larger part of what the NHS does”.

Where will this care be delivered but in the home! Most people are ill at home and become increasingly frail at home. The need is for homes that are intelligent and connected, creating homes that are care enabled so appropriate levels of support can be provided quickly when required. The home then becomes a ‘caring home’.

The vision is for all homes to have the capacity to be caring homes. The speakers on this day will describe current thinking and activity in this area with plenty of time for discussion.

REGISTER: https://www.rsm.ac.uk/events/events-listing/2015-2016/sections/telemedicine-ehealth-section/teg01-telemedicine-ehealth-2015-wearables-and-the-caring-home.aspx