DAPAS has already arrived at the home of 65+ participants in Caritas Coimbra
Caritas Coimbra is already installing the new DAPAS system in the home of its 65+ users, with extraordinary safety and hygiene standards.
During the period of state of emergency, the delivery and installation of these innovative digital tools were suspended, but the growing situations of social isolation caused by the pandemic led the DAPAS team to create new procedures to deliver the tablets to their end users in a safe way.
The DAPAS system, which brings together the successful results of previous projects of AAL (Ambient Assisted Living) solutions, consists of an innovative solution based on the needs of older adults and aims to improve their quality of life, through communication tools, games and schedule of appointments and taking medication. In addition, the participants’ family and friends, through the installation of the DAPAS application on their smartphones, will be able to contact them more easily through text messages or video calls, thus fighting the distance and isolation caused by the pandemic of COVID-19. Caritas Coimbra will test the effectiveness and acceptance of this system with 40 participants over a year.
The safe installation was planned according to the instructions of the Directorate-General of Health (DGS). On June 17th, 18th and 23rd, users at Santo António Nursing Home and S. Pedro Social Centre received the tablets, which were previously cleaned by the team DAPAS, and that, before being delivered directly to the participants, were disinfected again. Only their usual caregiver made contact with the participants, and the team of researchers of the project always kept the safety distance. Masks, gloves and hydroalcoholic solutions were used throughout the procedure. At the end, participants completed a report on compliance with all safety standards. The usual caregivers also received the instructions and filled out a report to confirm that the installation went as planned.
It is intended to continue the pilot of the project, considering the situation experienced worldwide, providing more comfort, safety and entertainment to participants.
DAPAS is co-financed by the European Programme AAL (Active Assisted Living – ICT for Ageing, 2017) and, in the Portuguese case, by the Foundation for Science and Technology.
See the compilation of some moments of the delivery of the DAPAS system at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jd110Jnrx4&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqctf-0BAaU
