Food'n'Go - Empower

Project Overview

Food'n'Go - Empower involves elderly medical patients and their relatives in both the development of a technological solution, and the solution of their own health related issues. The program attempts, so to speak, to give empowerment to a dis-empowered group.

The technology is a tablet computer used by the patient to order meals and record food intake and physical activity. Currently the solution prototype focuses on nutrition. Later, it will include: physical activity, pain management, management of sleep problems, management of medication, prevention of confusion, and coordination of transitional care.

In addition to developing the technological solution, we examine user-related barriers and preferences for health technology and find solutions that can increase older people's opportunities to use technology and achieve empowerment. The program incorporates research and innovation in an interactive process where research provides answers and solutions to issues arising in relation to the development of the technology and its use.

A grant from the Capital Region of Denmark has financed the development of the prototype, which is now available and looks very promising. We are currently carrying out a feasibility study testing the technology and the usability and ease of use as well as effect on nutritional and functional status.

A number of studies of ethnographic and qualitative character are outlined which aim to identify older people's approach to technology solutions and their motivation and opportunity to achieve empowerment, as well as to improve the technology and user-interface so that it can be used and accepted by the elderly people.

Next research step is a large-scale RCT, and further development and testing in other countries. We therefore invite a number of REFLECTION members to collaborate with us in an application for HORIZON 2020, which has a package literally tailor-made for our project.