The heartbeat of the new world economy is social and mobile @equalman

Mobile technology and social networks provide some of the most powerful tools available today for building a sense of belonging, support and sharing.  Social media has become the number one activity on the web. How many care organisations  have an effective online communications and engagement strategy?

@Media_Trust Top tip #GoMobileconf: 80 per cent of Twitter users access it via their smart phone.

 A powerful and very popular video from Erik Qualman author of Socialnomics which provides statistics about the global influence of social media. “it is not a question now about whether you should be involved in social media but how well you do it”

If your organisation would like help in developing an online communication and digital engagement strategy which promotes innovative thinking do get in contact! @shirleyayres 

What I’ve learned via Twitter today #sociallearning in action

Great start to the day reading @PaulBromford thoughts about the social CEO

1: Forget social media – it’s about being a social business

2:  It will make you more visible, people will like you more

3: You are missing out on recruiting the best people

4: Customers will trust your organisation more

5:  You are missing out on vital market intelligence

#FF @PaulBromford for the excellent "How Social Is Your CEO?" bit.ly/ZgSJI6 < Friday #mustread on becoming a social business—
Shirley Ayres (@shirleyayres) March 22, 2013

Followed by an insightful post from @NathanConstable about the police use of social media and the reasons why some chief officers are reluctant to embrace social media:

1. With the best will in the world some just don’t “get it” and will need to be convinced of its value.
2. There is a fear of loss of control of message. Everything has to be corporate.
3. There is a fear that some of their officers will damage the reputation of the force by tweeting things they shouldn’t.

A UK perspective on police & social media @NathanConstable bit.ly/XujYPY < I agree an incredible community engagement tool #poltwt—
Shirley Ayres (@shirleyayres) March 22, 2013

Global Police Twitter Day Kicks Off @Police_Oracle bit.ly/XuhRvo < great initiative follow #poltwt for updates—
Shirley Ayres (@shirleyayres) March 22, 2013

Good to share the newly published e-book Social Media and Mental Health Practice

#FF @VictoriaBetton & @nlightspr for the excellent Social Media in Mental Health Practice e-book bit.ly/WXt6ld—
Shirley Ayres (@shirleyayres) March 22, 2013

An innovative response to the  challenge of making care technology mainstream

#FF @richardchaynes for the innovative Gadget Hub a pop up shop bringing care technology to the high street bit.ly/103dlpk—
Shirley Ayres (@shirleyayres) March 22, 2013

78% of older web users say their life has improved by being online, says @age_uk economicvoice.com/life-online-is… via @economicvoice #digitalinclusion—
James Grant (JRF) (@bristoljames) March 21, 2013

A very happy birthday to the lovely @TomSprints I hope you have a great day!—
Shirley Ayres (@shirleyayres) March 22, 2013

Guest Post: Supporting practitioners to make sense of social media in mental health practice

Victoria Betton deputy director of strategy and partnerships at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust discusses her new e-book Social Media in Mental Health Practice co-written with Victoria Tomlinson from Northern Lights PR.

I use every opportunity to chat to people using and working in mental health services about social media. And what I experience is disconnect. Many practitioners are fearful. Many more are excited by the possibilities but not sure where to start. A smaller number are already confidently using social media to connect, network and innovate. Most are predominantly thinking about their use of social media in relation to personal/professional identity and ensuring their online behaviours are consistent with guidance from their professional body or organisation.

What I see much less of, is practitioners having the opportunity to consider how social media may form a part of their toolkit – helping people think about recovery in the context of their online as well as their offline lives and the interplay between the two.  At the same time I see many people with lived experience using all sorts of social media to take control, connect with peers, campaign, have fun and develop.

There is where I see the disconnect and this is where the idea for Social Media in Mental Health Practice came from – a desire to capture many of the fantastic ways in which social media are already being used, to amplify, and to give practitioners ideas and tips about how they might incorporate this knowledge into their day-to-day practice. It isn’t a ‘how to’ book and it isn’t about professional identity. Its purpose is to help mental health practitioners who are new to social media, consider the possibilities and the challenges, by finding out from those who are already innovating – both people using mental health services and people working within them.

I am always struck by the kindness and supportiveness of the community I have discovered in social media spaces – particularly Twitter. Victoria (co-author) and I could not have written this book without the generosity and willingness of many people to share their experiences – this in itself is a testament to the positive potential of social media. We are also incredibly grateful to Helen Bevan, chief of transformation at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, for supporting and funding the development of this e-book – another person who I initially connected with on Twitter.

This e-book captures a particular point in time – I hope it will quickly become out-of-date and redundant, as more and more mental health practitioners become increasingly familiar with the potential of social media for supporting recovery focused practice.

You can download Social Media in Mental Health Practicehere

Victoria Betton is deputy director of strategy and partnerships at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and is undertaking a PhD at the University of Leeds on the theme of social media and mental health. You can find her on Twitter @VictoriaBetton and her blog here. Her co-writer is Victoria Tomlinson from Northern Lights PR, author of a number of e-books on how to use social media, who can be found on Twitter @nlightspr.

 

Could crowdfunding support new ways of thinking in care?

“Knowledge is useless if it’s exclusive. If you really want change, you really want it to be inclusive, where everyone’s included, otherwise you’re just going to have more of the same in the future.” will.i.am interviewed in the Guardian 15th December 2012 @iamwill

I am fortunate to be connected to over 10,000 people through social networks. If each person in my network invested £7-00 we could produce a weekly Disruptive Social Care podcast throughout 2013. Or if innovative care organisations sponsored a show we would reach our target even more quickly!

The podcasts were developed to promote innovative thinking about care in the 21^st century by bringing people and ideas together. With over 5000 downloads and views of the Disruptive Social Care podcast we have created a unique communications platform.

When Stu and I launched the Disruptive Social Care podcasts we wanted to spread the word about care innovations, share great ideas and promote the value of digital technology to help people and communities connect and collaborate. We recognised the need for digital leadership to drive the adoption of technology in care.

We are passionate about ensuring that good practice in care, health, housing, education, employment and research is promoted and shared. We want Disruptive Social Care to become the benchmark for innovators. To date we have self funded the podcasts. We hope that there are enough innovative individuals and organisations who share our values and will help us to reach a bigger audience.

“The social care sector produces tons of outputs in the forms of papers and reports and so on and I struggle to keep up with a lot of it quite frankly, but I never struggle to find time to listen to your weekly podcast, and I think what is distinctive about it is that you offer a fresh take on a lot of the challenges that we face and I don’t think there’s anything quite like it, so do keep it up, I think it’s a really refreshing contribution, and challenge actually, to the way we do things”

Richard Humphries, Assistant Director of Policy The Kings Fund @richardatkf 

Giving a voice to innovators is essential if we are to develop care services fit for the 21^st century. Dare I suggest that publishing 50 reports will not be as effective as Simone Florio talking about the inspiring Healthy Living Club at Lingham Court @HLCC supporting people living with dementia, Anthony Ribot @RibotMaximus discussing user experience, design and  Threedom the world’s simplest smartphone and Mark Brown @markoneinfour sharing his thoughts about the need for radical changes in mental health services.

We need your help and support to continue to produce our independent, provocative and edgy weekly shows. And a very big thank you to our first friends and supporters! @FOL_LTD @Ermintrude2 @Recovery4_me @BPDFFS @MindingsStu @clarkmike 

How to sponsor the Disruptive Social Care podcast Any questions? Do contact me if you need an invoice before sponsoring the podcasts. @shirleyayres

Will we succeed with our very ambitious vision? If innovation and new ways of thinking about care is part of your DNA we hope you will support us. Only time will tell but do keep  an eye  on how many innovative organisations are prepared to sign up and support us!

Can Twitter make our care and social work organisations more “social”?

“Social media is a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. All the time online conversations are happening about you, your brand and your organisation. It’s not a choice whether you DO social media, the choice is how well you do it” Erik Qualman author of socialnomics.

Social networking has the potential to put the “social” back into social work and social care. So it is sad to note how few care organisations are actually engaged and using social media to communicate and debate with an increasingly diverse group of stakeholders. Children and adult care is on the edge and urgently needs public support to show politicians that there is widespread support for properly funding the services which  millions of people rely on daily. How could we be using social media to counter the negative media perceptions  and reporting about social work and care services?

Am I the only one shocked at how few #socialwork & #socialcare leaders are using #socialmedia channels for public engagement & debate?—
Shirley Ayres (@shirleyayres) January 15, 2013

Twitter is a rich source of instantly updated information and it is how I stay updated on an incredibly wide variety of topics. What makes a care tweeter valuable? Generously sharing knowledge, passions and links to useful resources and blogs. Listening, challenging, informing and making a difference.

If you are an organisation funded to engage with the public you need a strategy for responding to questions and comments online. This should include contact details for senior staff which is available on your website.

What is a turn off? Broadcasting, constantly selling and promoting yourself, not listening or interested in conversations which may be critical of your organisation. Having a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn profile  and rarely updating shows a real lack of interest in being social. I will leave you to judge how social our care tweeters are!

This should be a simple request but…. it does require an understanding of the complicated and fragmented social work and social care sectors. Care services are provided by a diverse range of providers including local authorities, health, housing, charities, social enterprises and the private sector. This list focuses on organisations and individuals who have a specific social work or social care brief.

Who is currently using Twitter?

Association of Directors of Adult Social Services @ADASSdclode

Eddie Clarke Director Adult Social Services Worcestershire @eddiec10 

Sarah Pickup President ADASS and Director Hertfordshire @adassspickup

Sherry Malik Director of Children & Adults, LB Hounslow @sherry_malik 

Lorna Payne Group Director Adults and Health LB Havering @Lorna_Payne

Barnet Council’s Adult Social Care and Health Service @lbbadults 

Sean McLaughlin Director of Housing and Adult Social Services @SeanMcLaughlin

Simon Birch Director of Social Services in Monmouthshire @MCCSimonBurch

The Association of Directors of Children’s Services are not using Twitter  

Dave Hill Director of Children’s Services Essex County Council @DCSEssex 

Social Care Service Managers 

James Lampert Social care Commisioner Kent County Council  @uk_james

Guy Stenson  Service manager (planning & partnerships), Children, Adults and  Health South Gloucestershire Council @guystenson

British Association of Social Workers @BASW_UK

Awaiting confirmation of whether the Chair and CEO are using Twitter

Care Quality Commission @CareQualityComm

Chair David Prior and CEO David Behan are not using Twitter

Care Providers

Bill Mumford CEO Macintyre, Chair of VODG and on @TLAP1 Board  @billatmacintyre 

Centre for Workforce Intelligence  @C4WI 

Peter Sharp CEO @CfWICEO

Rhidian Hughes Head of Social Care @rhidianhughes

Children’s Commissioner for England

Maggie Atkinson @ChildrensComm

College of Social Work @CollegeofSW 

Awaiting confirmation of whether the Co-Chairs and Interim CEO are using Twitter

Disabled People’s User Led Organisations (DPULOs) 

Rich Watts National Lead for Disabled People’s User Led Organisations (DPULOs) @rich_w 

Kings Fund @RichardatKF  Senior Fellow

National Skills Academy for Social Care @NSASocialCare

Awaiting confirmation of whether the Chair and CEO are using Twitter

Skills for Care @skillsforcare

Hi @shirleyayres – all Skills for Care messages are communicated through this channel, so no to our CEO and chair being on twitter. Thanks—
Skills for Care (@skillsforcare) January 15, 2013

A disappointing response especially when there is a lack of clarity about the role of Skills for Care and the planned amalgamation with the National Skills Academy for Social Care.

Social Care Institute for Excellence @SCIE_socialcare

Current Chair not on Twitter

CEO Andrea Sutcliffe @Crouchendtiger7

Think Local Act Personal Partnership @TLAP1

Programme Director Sam Bennett @samhbenn 

Scotland (links thanks to @jonbolton )

@spartakan @shirleyayres And @GarryCoutts is Chair of @TripleSSSC and Chair of @NHSHighland—
Jon Bolton (@jonbolton) January 03, 2013

@spartakan @shirleyayres I did, yes. Can't think of any local gov directors that tweet, but @AnnaFowlieSSSC is ChEx of @TripleSSSC—
Jon Bolton (@jonbolton) January 03, 2013

@spartakan @shirleyayres And @icyprof is Director of @irissorg—
Jon Bolton (@jonbolton) January 03, 2013

Wales

Care Council for Wales @CareCouncil 

No doubt I will be adding to the list. Do let me know if I have missed any  social care tweeters you feel I should add to the list.

Social Networking Basics for Care Organisations

“For the first time we have the social tools to make group action a reality. And they’re going to change our whole world” Clay Shirky Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations (2008)

If people have a choice about who is delivering their care services would they chose your organisation? The chill winds of budget cuts and redundancies along with increasing expectations and more connected communities mean that public services are under considerable scrutiny. The need for a culture of innovation and creativity is essential if we are to meet the challenges and aspirations for improved care services. In some ways it is frustrating to reflect on the lack of progress since the publication of my report on “The future for personalisation? Service users, carers and digital engagement” by IRISS in August 2011.

Social networking, social learning and the use of mobile technology have an increasingly important role in the care sector. Digital networks are enabling different forms of collective action and collaborative groups are being formed which connect and support people across the world. How many networks is your organisation involved with?

“The cost of all kinds of group activity has fallen dramatically and social tools provide the capacity for action by loosely structured groups, operating without managerial direction and outside the profit motive” Clay Shirky

There are an increasing range of different tools available which include: twitter, facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, flickr, slideshare, blogs, webinars, podcasts etc. The tools are simply a way of enabling people to share,co-operate and collaborate. These tools used creatively will complement each other but they do need to be used strategically and to make sense for your organisation and audience.

Social networking is about listening; engaging, providing value by solving problems and answering questions and building relationships. An increasing number of people are using online forums to share thoughts and ideas about good practice across the care sector. Are you evaluating how your organisation is using social media to extend participation, provide information and collaborate with similar organizations?

“No decision about me without me” With the promise of more control and choice in both health and care services there is a growing expectation of honesty, openness and transparency in transactions between citizens and public organisations. Used solely as a broadcast channel social media will not have any significant or positive impact about how people see your organisation. A few tweets, an e-letter, a forum on a website and joining groups without contributing to discussions do not constitute a social media strategy. Do you know where people are already having conversations about social care on the internet?

Developing social media activities is an important part of building a presence and a profile on the internet. But social networking using social media tools will need to become part of the DNA of the whole organisation, led, supported and endorsed by the senior management team. This can involve a substantial mind shift within organisations who see social media solely as a broadcasting and/or marketing channel.

Action Points

1. Undertake a review of your current communications activities including websites, blogs, published materials and events.
Decide what it is you want to achieve and explore how social networking will contribute to your communications and stakeholder engagement strategy. How effective are your current activities, how do you know what is working well, who are your customers and what is the added value you offer?

2. Develop a social media and social learning policy in consultation with staff and stakeholders

3. Provide social media workshops to help all staff become familiar with and confident in using social media tools. Encourage feedback and suggestions about how you can improve internal and external communications.

4. Measure and evaluate the return on your investment in social media activities including google alerts and google anlaytics
Social media has challenged organisations to embrace new ways of connecting and communicating, demanding greater openness, transparency and engagement. What is the potential Return On Investment (ROI) of an approach to social media which develops real relationships with stakeholders?

There is a lot of learning and risk associated with launching a public blog. Easily accessible, relevant and timely information on your website is essential. Invite feedback about your website. Be prepared for discussions and conversations which you cannot control but from which there can be considerable learning for the organisation. Be prepared to respond to questions and criticism.

Social networking, in many ways, is all about learning. Social media is one of the most powerful ways to understand what we do and why, learn as we go, and share what we learn with others. Every day conversations are taking place across the internet about social work and social care. Do you know what is being said about leadership, social care, services for children, workforce development, social learning and commissioning in the care sector? A good starting point is the informative post 7 reasons to launch an internal blog before going public.

About Shirley Ayres The Japanese have a word “Kaizen” which translated means “the gathering of the wisdom of the people” As a knowledge management and communications consultancy we have particular expertise in developing social networks and social learning with an unrivaled and in depth knowledge of the care sector. We advise and review public, private and non profit organisations communication & digital engagement strategies.

Connecting Social Care & Social Media blog 2012 review

The WordPress.com stats helper prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Interesting to see the top referring site was Twitter!

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 7,800 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 13 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

Welcome to the #socialmedia revolution with thanks to @equalman

Social media has become the number one activity on the web  so why do so few social work and care organisations  have an effective online communications and engagement strategy?

I have noticed that this powerful video from Erik Qualman @equalman author of Socialnomics which provides statistics about the global influence of social media has been shown at an increasing number of conferences recently.

If your organisation would like help in developing an online communication and digital engagement strategy which promotes innovative thinking do get in contact! @shirleyayres 

Catch up with our guests on the Disruptive Social Care podcasts!

Stu and I would like to say a big thank you to all of our guests who have featured in the podcasts to date and just in case you have missed any here is a round up.

This week’s show features an interview with the lovely Paul Taylor, Innovation Coach at Bromford Group.

Follow Paul: https://twitter.com/PaulBromford
And read his blogs: http://paulbromford.wordpress.com/ &https://www.rebelmouse.com/PaulBromford/

A huge thank you to our show sponsors!
https://twitter.com/BPDFFS – https://www.facebook.com/FFS.BPD
https://twitter.com/Ermintrude2
https://twitter.com/claireOT – http://claireot.wordpress.com
https://twitter.com/clarkmike – http://www.telecarelin.org.uk
https://twitter.com/PaulBromford
https://twitter.com/FOL_LTD – http://www.focusedonlearning.com
https://twitter.com/MindingsStu – http://www.mindings.com
and
#connectedcarenetwork

Paul Burstow was our special Xmas guest on the Disruptive Social Care podcast. Paul is the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park. Paul  was appointed as Minister of State for Health (Care Services) in May 2010 and lost this position in the Cabinet reshuffle of September 2012. Paul is the Chair of the Committee on the Draft Care and Support Bill.

Richard Humphries is a Senior Fellow at the King’s Fund. He leads on social care and work across the NHS and local government. He is a recognised national commentator and writer on social care reform, the funding of long-term care and the integration of health and social care.  @richardatkf

Antony Ribot is at the forefront of user-experience design, and founded the highly regarded “ideas lab” Ribot with his brother Jerome. Ribot created Threedom - the world’s simplest smartphone. Threedom is the first simple interface built to allow anyone to easily use a touchscreen mobile. @RibotMaximus

Mark Brown has been described as one of the smartest thinkers in the worlds of social media and mental health. Mark edits One in Four, England’s only national mental health and wellbeing magazine written by people who experience mental health difficulties. Mark is a director of Social Spider a community interest company helping people to make change happen. Twitter @markoneinfour

Paul Hodgkin is the Chief Executive of Patient Opinion which was founded in 2005 and has grown to be the UK’s leading independent non-profit feedback platform for health services. Paul says his “eureka moment” about Patient Opinion came in 2004 while logged on to the buying and selling website eBay. @paulhodgkin

Andrea Sutcliffe is the Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence and is passionate about making a difference. She has been at the interface of health and social care for much of her career. SCIE  promotes high-quality social care for children and adults. It has pioneered digital training for anyone working in the social care field.  @Crouchendtiger7

Martyn Sibley is a blogger, social entrepreneur, founder of the lifestyle magazine Disability Horizons and he creates Webinars, eCourses and eConferences. He works as a consultant on social media, new media and marketing. Martyn is disabled, and living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) which means that he can’t walk or lift anything heavier than a book. @martynsibley

Murtz Abidi is the founder of the Casserole Club a food sharing network, bringing local communities together around home-cooked food. Currently being piloted in Surry there are plans to extend the service across the country. There are a lot of people cooking food who would be happy to cook a bit extra to share with isolated neighbours who would appreciate a home cooked meal. The goal of Casserole is to connect the two using online and offline connections. This is a great way for local communities to tackle social isolation. @Casserole_Club

Helen Keegan is a specialist consultant in mobile marketing, advertising and media who develops mobile strategies and creates products and services. She produces the Heroes of the Mobile Screen conference and runs the mobile networking event Swedish Beers in London and Barcelona. @technokitten

Come and “Like” us on Facebook if that’s your thing, and you can follow us on Twitter @shirleyayres and @mindingsstu. Add #deukcare to add your comments to the debates about care, technology and innovations.

If you would like to discuss recording the Disruptive Social Care podcast at your event or conference contact Stu Arnott to discuss the cost and logistics.

Website: http://www.disruptivesocialcare.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DisruptiveSocialCare

YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/disruptivesocialcare

 

How the internet and digital technology can combat isolation

In a week that Jeremy Hunt announced a new initiative to combat the isolation and loneliness experienced by millions of people it does seem extraordinary that so few local authorities and Health and Wellbeing Boards are  exploring how digital technology can connect people and communities. With an increasing number of web and mobile based applications from simple information to more complex care management tools digital technology has the potential to transform the delivery of care and support in communities. It is fair to comment that access to high speed broadband will be an essential element to realising the full potential of digital technology for providing.

An impressive amount of research has been undertaken and reports produced to explore the challenges, barriers and opportunities of encouraging older people to use the internet and digital technology to live more independent and fulfilling lives.  The internet and digital technology has a very valuable role to play in providing access to services and support to those who have difficulty accessing them in the offline world.

Recent studies have linked internet use to mental health problems and loneliness among young people but recent research from the University of Alabama shows that older people who utilize the internet for social purposes are less likely to suffer from depression

 “Technology is a vital part of human existence. They show us that the right tools, in the right hands, can help everyone, regardless of our frailties, to achieve our true potential and advance as a civilisation.” Professor Stephen Hawking accepting his  AbilityNet ‘Excellence in Accessibility Award’ at the Technology4Good awards September 2012

I would like to introduce you to just a few examples of exciting and cost effective innovations which could be promoted by local authorities. Many more example are included in my forthcoming eBook “The Click Guide to Digital Technology for Care”

DropBy is an interactive website for people over 60 and their families. It is designed to help keep older people ‘in touch’ by providing a secure place for the over 60s to meet both online and in real life. Joining DropBy can provide a life-line for those who live alone, in residential care or who are feeling isolated. Membership is free and privacy is a priority.  Twitter @MaryBDropBy

Casserole Club is a food sharing network, bringing local communities together around home-cooked food. Currently being piloted in Surry there are plans to extend the service across the country. There are a lot of people cooking food who would be happy to cook a bit extra to share with isolated neighbours who would appreciate a home cooked meal. The goal of Casserole is to connect the two using online and offline connections. This is a great way for local communities to tackle social isolation. Twitter @Casserole_Club

Hear Murtz Abidi founder of the Casserole Club talking about the inspiration behind Casserole on the Disruptive Social Care podcast.

The Good Gym makes it easy for people to combine exercise with doing good in their local community. The Good Gym unlocks volunteering potential by channelling the energy that people spend on exercising and turning it into positive social action. It was set up to connect elderly and isolated local residents with a runner on a mission: to get fit, do something useful and to provide social interaction. The Good Gym currently operates in East London.
Twitter @goodgym

Mindings uses technology and social media to enable people to send personal captioned photos. text messages and calendar reminders to a digital display instantly from a mobile phone. This is especially important when families are widely dispersed and want an easy way of keeping in touch and connected whether they are living at home, in residential care, in hospital or in different parts of the world. Twitter @MindingsStu

Update 3rd December 2012. Delighted to hear that  Mindings has recently  won £100,000 of funding to pilot the service within a local integrated health and social care system in the Midlands and East of England.

“I’m thrilled that the potential of Mindings has been recognised. My co-developer Ian Pleasance and I are incredibly excited about working with DACS, Age UK and the East of England local authorities to connect families and help combat loneliness and social isolation!”  Stuart Arnott Mindings Founder

I understand that accessing and learning about the digital world can be a challenge for many individuals. Research shows that learning in the later stages of life can boost confidence, give residents a more positive outlook on life and delay the onset of dementia. While some older people have a good grasp of how to use computers already, many lack confidence in their ability to learn something new.

Gen2Gen is an intergenerational  IT mentoring scheme, which involves young people working on a one to one basis with Abbeyfield residents to help  them access digital technology and social media. UK Youth is providing training for young volunteers.  These young volunteers will then support older people in Abbeyfield to use the internet, continue their hobbies and interests and stay in contact with friends and family. Twitter @ukyv   and @TheAbbeyfield

Alive is using digital technology to help older people in residential care to re-live a wealth of experiences and achievements and reinvigorate past interests. Identifying shared experiences and interests creates a focus for conversation, helping introverted, isolated people to join in and connect with both care home staff and other residents. Twitter @aliveactivities

Chill4usCarers provides a support forum run by volunteer family carers and ex carers. Social media is used very actively to raise awareness and support for carers. The Carers’ forum offers information, news and views and the  online chat room is open 24 hours a day. Chill4usCarers organises Computers4carers which provides free computers for carers. Twitter @Chill4usCarers

Quite simply what people need are signposts to help them explore what technology products and services are available, both through statutory services or to purchase independently. A critical factor for organisations is ensuring that internal structures and culture are designed to embrace change and foster a willingness to learn new skills and engage with digital technology. The many innovations being supported by funders suggest there is no shortage of ideas for applying digital technology to the challenging problems confronting society including isolation.

We have developed the Care in a Digital Age programme to help public sector bodies explore the potential of the internet and digital technology to join up all of the different innovations which have the potential to transform lives. Do contact me if you would like your local authority or Health and Wellbeing Board to be involved in this exciting initiative.