Social care staff need to be ready to help people they support and their families to make choices about using technology to stay connected and contribute to their communities, especially while social distancing restrictions are in place.
Using technology is now as much a part of life as any other aspect of life that someone might need support with. This means social care workers and volunteers need to help people understand, choose, and use everyday technology for things like:
- using the internet to stay up to date on guidance, apply for benefits, housing or jobs; doing online shopping or ordering repeat prescriptions
- accessing track and trace/booking COVID-19 tests and checking results and booking vaccinations
- video calls to get support instead of in person
- navigation apps to check public transport times
- mobile phones to send photos of ailments securely to their GP
- making three-way calls when they need support to call someone about house repairs or legal issues
- apps to track fitness, diet and nutrition, sleep, alcohol use, periods and so much more
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