Certification-D - Certification of technological products for people with dementia to support SMEs in innovation and business growth

Project Summary

Framework, Objective, Outputs

From 2018 to 2050, the number of People with Dementia will increase from 3.3 to 8.5 million in NWE. Because the supply of care places cannot expand at the same rate as the number of People with Dementia there is a shift by local government and People with Dementia to remain at home for as long as possible, in the future more People with Dementia will live longer at home and need more support-products. However, studies show that People with Dementia and their support network do not always know and trust existing solutions (TRL 6). It is then necessary to define standards for these products and, through certification, increase confidence in them and encourage SMEs to focus on this market (TRL 8).

Our project supports SMEs in NWE that develop and market innovative, reliable, self-determined home living products for People with Dementia. This increases the SMEs turnover, competitiveness and job creation. In collaboration with partners from research and care institutions, SMEs, associations and People with Dementia, design standards will be developed. Together with a certification company, new and existing products for People with Dementia will be evaluated and certified. Following the project’s completion, enterprises in NWE will be able to work and develop further in this area.

The main outputs of this project are: an improved innovation network, a certification process and test mark, 24+ products, services or processes tested in Living Labs, 30+ SMEs supported by the project partners, and an ongoing cooperation of companies, research institutions, care providers, People with Dementia and caregivers in NWE.

In the future, business and PwD lobby associations will recommend the certified products, will ask for and value these reliable standards. The certification body and the Living Labs of the partners will form the basis of a European Dementia Living Labs Alliance supported and financed by the certification of further products and, post project, it will expand of the customer base to all People with Dementia, who live at home.

 

Mission, Vision, Key Messages

Our project’s vision is that people living with dementia should be supported in living at home as safe, as well and as long as they can.

To concretize the project’s objective, we developed a mission: Our mission is to guarantee good quality products, systems and services for people living with dementia and support and encourage companies to design well for people with dementia.

Five key messages have been formulated. This, in order to have the flexibility to adapt the key message to the target group which is intended to be reached.

  1. With the support of people living with dementia, we test and improve products for people living with dementia.
  2. Collaborating with companies, we improve their products for people living with dementia.
  3. Working together with care providers, we implement and evaluate these products within existing support networks.
  4. Supporting patients and representation organisations, we train formal and informal caregivers in using and evaluating these products.
  5. Together we establish standards, a certification procedure with quality mark for products for people living with dementia.

Project Partners

Lead partner

Organisation Address Email Website
Alexian Research Center Krefeld of the Alexian Krefeld GmbH 81 Diessemer Bruch
Krefeld
47805
Germany 		k.krah@alexianer.de www.alexianer-krefeld.de/leistungen/kliniken/psychiatrische-psychosomatische-und-psychotherapeutische-kliniken/gerontopsychiatrie-und-psychotherapie/
Name Contact Name Email Country
Ulster University Joan Condell j.condell@ulster.ac.uk United Kingdom
University of Technology Eindhoven Rens Brankaert r.g.a.brankaert@tue.nl Netherlands
Vilans Henk Herman Nap h.nap@vilans.nl Netherlands
Oktober Alwin van Deuren a.v.deuren@zorginoktober.nl Netherlands
LUCA School of Arts vzw Niels Hendriks niels.hendriks@luca-arts.be Belgium
OCMW Genk (Openbaar Centrum voor Maatschappelijk Welzijn) Michel Bortels Michel.bortels@ocmwgenk.be Belgium
CENTICH - Information and Communication Technologies National Center of Expertise for Autonomy Jawad Hajjam jawad.hajjam@centich.fr France
GGT German Society for Gerontechnology Marcus Sauer sauer@gerontotechnik.de Germany
KRG Corporate Solène Lioult projets@senioradom.com France
Climax Deutschland GmbH Guido Gabriel guido.gabriel@climax-deutschland.com Germany
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News

1. Call Vouchers for SMEs

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The 1. Call for SMEs to apply for a Certification-D voucher was launched. The opportunity was taken by 18 SMEs with 19 products. The selected companies have been informed. The respective Living Labs of the project partners will soon approach the individual SMEs to clarify the further procedure. Read More

Events

Sub- and Associated partners

SP ActionSense Ltd

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ActionSense is a spinout from Ulster University formed in 2012. In 2017 ActionSense Ltd acquired new IP from Ulster University, in the area of intelligent wearable software and associated devices for rehabilitation and exercise in a range of conditions; the data glove. ActionSense will bring in its unique range of strategic wearables collaboration networks with academia, clinicians and business product development experts in EU and internationally. ActionSense will use 21st century technologies to facilitate monitoring and assessment of patients using their wearable technologies. Thus ActionSense will provide cost effective and intelligent solutions; bespoke controlling software alongside proprietary wearable device technology. ActionSense have experience in sensor related commercial research and demonstrator pilot projects alongside the University of Ulster. ActionSense will support UU in managing the UK technical support product (e.g. wearable) in the project, sourcing, testing and developing appropriate technologies, methodologies and certification criteria as appropriate for pilots. ActionSense also works closely with local health care Trust clinicians who have a number of different types of appropriate patient research groups for feedback, usability analysis and experimental comment. AS will be especially active in WP T2 “Product & Service optimization” with most of the activities. Read More

SP Fontys Hogeschool

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Fontys is one of the largest Universities of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and offers a variety of bachelors and masters programmes in English. The school of allied health professions, educated students in various health related professions, for all kinds of patients groups. In this institute, the group Health Innovations & Technology will sub-partner the University of Technology Eindhoven in the Work Packages WP T2 & WP Voucher. The Health Innovations & Technology group has expertise in involving people living with dementia, family members and care professionals in the development and evaluations of new technologies based on experience in health practice. This expertise can be used as a fundamental skill in WP T2 to execute the Living Lab activities. Additionally, does the University of Applied Sciences offer a vast network to companies and organisations that are operating in health and care practice, and increase the affinity for the work field for the University of Technology Eindhoven. Read More

AP Care Inn Ltd and Care Forum Wales

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Care Inn Ltd and Care Forum Wales role in the project is - to contribute to the project by defining regional issues to be taken account of in developing certification standards; - to define the processes and challenges in procuring products for dementia patients; - to support partners in disseminating the project and outcomes in the region. Activities in the project are - provide advice on requirements for products and technologies for people with dementia; - provide advice on regional and national standards; - identify products and technologies used to support dementia patients; - review and advise on certification standards being developed; - identify potential SMEs in the region whose products could be submitted for certification; - increase awareness of their sector and suppliers in the project at networking events and meetings. Read More

AP Centre Hospitalier Univeritaire d’Angers

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Through its Research Center on Autonomy and Longevity and its Hospital Geriatric Living-Lab, the CHU d'Angers will contribute to the recruitment of patients, to the implementation of the protocols of evaluation and testing of products as well as the development of certification procedures. He will be a contributor as associated partner in the main implementation WPs (Demands & Use, Product & Service Optimization and Certification & Upscaling for NWE) as well as in the WP Long Term Effects. The Geriatrics department, headed by Prof. Cédric Annweiller, supports people over the age of 75 and consists of five complementary units in the Centre for Research on Autonomy and Longevity (CeRAL) which created the first hospital geriatric living-lab in France. The objectives of CeRAL are to shed new light on autonomy and longevity, to participate in improving the care of elderly patients, and to promote the prevention of risks related to the ageing of the population France's first hospital geriatric living lab. The activities in the project as associated partner are (a) as hospital partner of France Alzheimer Association and member of the French Géraitric and Gerontology Association provide advice on national plans for People with Dementia, (b) provide advice on requirements for products and technologies for people with dementia, (c) support living labs for testing products and solutions through pilot sites in France supporting independent living for people with dementia, (d) contribute to the identification of products and technologies used to support dementia patients, (e) review and advise on certification standards being developed, (f) identify potential SMEs in the region whose products could be submitted for certification, (g) increase awareness of their sector and suppliers in the project at networking events and meetings. Read More

AP Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP)

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Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in Certification-D is (a) to contribute to the project by defining regional issues to be taken account of in developing certification standards; (b) to define the processes and challenges in procuring products for dementia patients; (c) to support Partners in disseminating the project and outcomes in the region. Activities in the project are (a) provide advice on national plans for People with Dementia (b) provide advice on requirements for products and technologies for people with dementia (c) provide advice on regional and national standards (d) support living labs for testing products and solutions through pilot sites in Scotland supporting independent living for people with dementia (e) identify products and technologies used to support dementia patients; (f) review and advise on certification standards being developed; (g) identify potential SMEs in the region whose products could be submitted for certification; (h) increase awareness of their sector and suppliers in the project at networking events and meetings Read More

AP CoLab, Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT)

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CoLab is a 45,000 sq. ft Incubation, Enterprise and Research Centre, based on the Letterkenny campus at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT). CoLab provides state-of-the-art Incubation, Research and Enterprise facilities; it is home to pioneering research in many areas and can provide strong connections in Ireland and Europe through business and innovator networks. CoLab will bring in their experiences, advise the PPs in the Advisory Board and disseminate results to Ireland. CoLab will offer to Certification-D relevant engineering knowledge coupled with strong networks with government agencies, businesses, research centres and the North West Irish community. CoLab will share experiences and contacts with the project consortium. It will actively participate in the Advisory Board and conferences. CoLab will use its network and try to find SMEs that would like to participate in the Voucher Scheme. CoLab will also use its contacts to disseminate the results in Ireland. At a later step CoLab can provide a stimulating and supportive incubation centre for 40+ start-up companies in the North West of Ireland. Read More

AP European Association of Geriatric Psychiatry (EAGP)

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The EAGP is an association which can relate to an Europe-wide network, give advice and disseminate information and results of Certification-D. The EAGP joins as Associated Partner the advisory board and participate in the conferences. One of our main goals is to promote research and the cooperation with national and international bodies in the geriatric field. So the EAGP will disseminate information and results to our members all over Europe. The EAGP will bring more attention to the project on an Europe-wide level (for example through advertisement in newsletter or at conferences). Read More

AP RBS Center fir Altersfroen

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RBS was founded in 1989 to face the challenge of the ongoing demographic change of the population structure and its sociopolitical implications. As a national institute of gerontology, RBS focuses on psychosocial and mental health of the elderly and acts as consulting instance for policy makers and ministries in age-related issues. RBS will bring in experiences from Luxembourg, advise the PPs in the Advisory Board and disseminate results to Lux. With the close cooperation and exchange between, inter alia, the University of Luxembourg, the ministry of family and integration, and the Luxembourg dementia association, RBS keeps on making efforts towards the realization of a strong network in Luxembourg and beyond, coordinates training programmes in joint cooperation with government departments, research institutes and end-users and engages in public awareness raising endeavours. RBS will share their experiences (i.e. training/research/good-practice) and contacts with the project consortium. The RBS delegates will actively participate in the Advisory Board and conferences. On the basis of their network, RBS will identify pertinent SMEs that would like to participate in the Voucher Scheme. RBS will also provide project support by disseminating the results in Luxembourg via different communication channels (e.g. print media, conferences) to their contacts/partners as well as to the broader public level. Read More

Previous meetings and outputs

Conference “Users & producers. Demands & use” (1. October 2020)

, Online

The first international Certification-D (online) conference took place this year successfully as live stream in front of about 60 participants on 1 October 2020. Under the heading "Users & producers. Demands & use" the project and its project partners introduced themselves and their Living Labs in the morning. First results of the work will be presented. Supplementary presentations from science, business and research were given in the afternoon.
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Voucher Call

Voucher Call 1

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The opportunity to apply for Certification-D vouchers was taken by 18 SMEs with 19 products. The selected companies have been informed. The respective Living Labs of the project partners will soon approach the individual SMEs to clarify the further procedure. Read More

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