Every third person over the age of 65 lives alone. Since the mid-1980s, the number of single-person households has almost doubled, with an increasing number of older people living alone. According to Statistics Austria, there were almost four million private households in 2020, of which 1,506,000 were single-person households. However, if this trend continues, it will have enormous effects on the quality of life and care of older people by 2030 at the latest.
As a study by Statistics Austria and many other research projects show, our society is undergoing demographic change. In the coming years, this will lead to a significant change in the population structure. The retirement of the baby boomer generation, combined with the trend toward single-person households and a declining birth rate, is significantly exacerbating the situation in the care sector. As is well known, the care sector has been suffering for years from a shortage of qualified care workers. For Austria alone, demand for around 100,000 care workers is forecast for 2030. Of course, this estimate also means new career opportunities in a diverse and dynamic professional field. The increasing digitalization is making work in the care and support sector even more attractive.
Another solution for easing the burden in everyday care and improving the quality of life of older people is the JAMES tablet, a special tablet that entertains older people through its senior-friendly and user-friendly software. The tablet serves as a comprehensive communication hub between professional care and home care. In this way, the system brings professional care tools directly into users' homes. Care organizations can use the JAMES tablet to send professional care plans, including instructions and video guides, to care workers and family caregivers. Both the plan and its contents are tailored to the needs of the person requiring care. In addition, care workers and relatives can easily document daily tasks using checklists in the tablet's care app. By integrating additional functions, such as a family portal to improve communication with relatives, the tablet is developing into a comprehensive service platform.
The demand for higher-quality care is growing, not only among professional care institutions and mobile care workers, but also in the broader area of home care. However, this should not deter anyone from entering the care profession. Work processes in care are increasingly being simplified with the help of digital tools, enabling care professionals to focus on the essential task, the person they support, while also meeting new challenges.