Utilising communications technologies for anytime and anywhere assistedliving solutions

A smartphone app now lets carers coordinate medication reminders, shopping lists, and check-in alerts for an elderly relative from anywhere, using the same open platform that could cut social care costs. The problem this project tackled is that most assisted-living technology is locked into a single device in the home—a hub that only works when the person is sitting next to it. Carers, whether family members or paid professionals, cannot easily check in or adjust support while on the move. The project extended those home-based services onto mobile phones and tablets, testing them on real telecoms infrastructure. It also built an open “toolbox” of service components—like scheduling, alerts, and video calls—that any care provider can combine into a custom app without starting from scratch. If the toolbox is adopted, informal carers could assemble a tailored support package in minutes rather than waiting months for a bespoke system. For social care authorities, the same platform could reduce costs by replacing multiple proprietary systems with one configurable, white-label service. The project’s case study explicitly tested this dual potential: innovative services for family carers and cost reduction for local government. The impact is not a single product but a reusable infrastructure that makes anytime, anywhere care technically and economically feasible.