Being involved and a sense of belonging
The 'Carefree Living' project is an initiative from the municipality of 's-Hertogenbosch, public housing organisations and healthcare institutions. The aim of the project is for elderly and disabled people to live in their own home for as long as possible. Residents should, therefore, have easy access to care and other services, which can be realised with the help of ICT applications. However, more is needed than just technology. A healthy mix involving resident preferences, the care that their family can provide and the role of the project partners is crucial.
The project will run in two pilot neighbourhoods and, by 2011, residents will be able to use ICT tools. The key questions related to these pilots are: which tools are needed? And: how do technology and care services remain affordable? The answers to these questions will help care providers to develop services that will also be applicable to other neighbourhoods. Under the motto “being involved and a sense of belonging”, the municipality of 's-Hertogenbosch stimulates a good supply of care and wellness services in neighbourhoods, for example, by developing housing service zones. The Carefree Living project follows this view.
Key features
• Essence of the project: The motto of 's-Hertogenbosch is “being involved and a sense of belonging”. This means that elderly and disabled people are able to live in their own home for as long as possible.
• By 2011, the project should reach the stage that residents of two neighbourhoods for life will be able to use ICT tools and, therefore, can take better care of themselves.
• Strength of this project: two pilot neighbourhoods have been chosen to achieve the aim. If this results in success, the project can be extended to other neighbourhoods.
• This project enables 's-Hertogenbosch to strengthen contact between the elderly, ill and other residents.