ExtraCare is pioneering in embracing technology that actively supports ageing in place. With a highly skilled innovation team, multiple research projects, and an award-winning innovation apartment at Solihull Village, the charity is continuously investing in technology to assist our residents.
The charity has won numerous awards for the quality of its housing and the wide range of services it provides, which include volunteering opportunities and inter-generational mixing. Now it is spearheading the use of smart technology to support independent living, health and wellbeing among older people, after participating in a research programme looking at how smart devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) could improve life for residents.
– Liz Heron, E&T Magazine
Check out the video to find out more about our innovation apartment and the smart devices we offer to assist with healthy ageing. To learn about our research projects and innovation team find out more below.
* Please note that apartments with built-in innovative features will incur an additional cost.
View our research findings
Through collaborative research projects and partnerships we have collected many inspiring findings available to download or read more about below.
Find out more about ExtraCare’s Innovation Award
ExtraCare took home an award from the Senior Housing Awards for Best Use of Technology in Seniors Housing
Upcoming Projects
Aeotec – Tech based support for residents
All locations have a set of SmartThings multi- purpose sensors which staff can use to help a resident by monitoring the environment in their apartment. The sensors monitor motion, temperature, humidity, light, UV, vibration sensor. Using this information in context with someone’s behaviour can help resolve resident issues.
Smart Market
Residents have been able to borrow smart voice enabled devices free of charge which are installed by staff to try for a couple of months before deciding if it’s something they find helpful and worth investing in (independently). The smart market has taken two years to reach all of our locations and is almost complete. We hope to share the results in early 2025
Dementia and Robotics PhD
We regularly collaborate with universities, external researchers and robotics labs. One exciting project we are supporting is a PhD student from UCL who is investigating and designing a robot to help people with dementia.
Tech survey 2025
We will be running a technology survey for residents in early 2025 this will inform future technology and digital inclusion work.