The Institute for Ageing and Health and Years Ahead Partnership today announce that funding has been secured for a feasibility study to be conducted. The study will be aimed at establishing a recognised product accreditation and approval scheme for Independent Living products - also known as Assistive Technology. It will be supervised by leading academics from the University’s Business School.
The aim of the scheme will be to encourage suppliers, manufacturers and retailers to consider the needs of the consumer, by ensuring that products, and services, are tested and accredited by the people they’re designed for, ahead of being launched.
Research already conducted by Years Ahead shows that less than 20% of consumers asked would spontaneously think of buying a product to help overcome a problem with an aspect of daily living. The partners both share the view that there is an acute need to promote awareness in this sector; as products that make life easier can significantly improve independence, particularly for older people, who want to remain living at home.
Maggie Winchcombe OBE one of the UK’s leading Occupational Therapists, and a founder of Years Ahead, commented “We believe that the key to promoting awareness is for these products to become more mainstream – improving availability so that products are sold through a much wider choice of outlets, both on the high street, mail order and the internet. The market has been dominated by the state for too long and this in turn has held back innovation. Products are, in many instances, unattractive and just not designed with the needs of consumers in mind.”
Professor Tom Kirkwood, Director of the Institute agreed, “Given the demographic changes in the make up of the UK’s population the demand for Assistive Technology is set to grow significantly. We know that most people who are adversely affected by the process of ageing would prefer to stay in their own home surroundings, but that often simple tasks like preparing food or taking a bath present a major problem. We are delighted to be working with Years Ahead to look at how a product accreditation and approval scheme might be launched to improve consumer confidence in this area.”
Whilst some approval schemes exist in specialist areas, such as that run by the RNIB, there is no widely recognised mark that consumers can turn to, to give them confidence that an independent living product has been reviewed by consumers themselves – as expert users - and meets certain minimum standards.
Once underway the study will consult with a wide cross section of stakeholders from the Industry, Retailers, Government and the Third Sector to ensure that any scheme gains wide ranging support, as well of course as consulting with groups representing consumers.
Financial support for the feasibility study has been received from the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme (KTP). KTP aims to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base. KTP is funded by Technology Strategy Board and other government funding organisations.
The Partners welcome any expressions of interest and enquiries. - Ends- Further information: -
|
Graham Armitage
Programme Director – Campus for Ageing and Vitality
Institute for Ageing and Health
0191 248 1306
graham.armitage@newcastle.ac.uk
www.ncl.ac.uk/iahFurther information can also be found on the attached flyer.
published on: 13th April 2010