A new report released by Elior UK's care subsidiary Caterplus has revealed that the ageing population expects technology to integrate with and improve lifestyles, offering a personalised service for leisure activities, medical needs, eating and drinking, and overall wellbeing.
Of those surveyed 66% said they expect the rise of technology in care provisions to make life easier, and more than 97% expect internet facilities as part of their care provision.
Many expect technology to provide medical support with 74% stating that they want to oversee their own care profile and preferences using a mobile or tablet app.
The Future of Care: How the Nation Wants to Age report provides an insight into what care provisions and retirement communities of the future will look like. How culinary, environmental, health and cultural offerings within care will change over the next 20 years.
Caterplus' UK-wide study of over 3,000 respondents aged between 45 and 75 offers wide-ranging insights and recommendations to meet the needs of this group and create the ideal later life provision of the future.
Paul Burstow, former minister of state for Care Home Services, who has supported and contributed to the report, said: "By listening to people in later life we can make a difference now… Care providers and policymakers would do well to take on board the insights and challenges in this report, to improve future care for generations to come."
"We created this report to give the entire care industry - be it caterers, care providers, architects or builders - a clearer direction as to what we should be doing to create a future care provision that is truly fit for purpose for this diverse group."
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