TapCare Clock case study



TapCare came out of our own lives

My mother in law has regular carer visits every day.

At 7.30am, 12.00pm, 4.45pm and 9.30pm she is visited by 2 carers to assist her with bathing, and dressing and medications. We help look after her in terms of meals and social life.

Given our work and childcare, we cannot be around all the time so we need some way to confirm that things are OK and regular needs are being met.

This is why we have made a Tapcare clock.

TapCare clock 




It's just a normal clock but we've stuck Near Field Communication tags to the back of it.

They're matched up to the times the carers should be attending.

If everything is OK, she just taps her phone on the clock at the right time.

We get a quick Tweet and know what's happening.

If things aren't OK: for example, if the carers are delayed or they have left something undone. 

Then she can just tap the Call Me tag which is near her in bed.


That tag sends a Text and Tweet to us.

What TapCare means


So TapCare is trying to make a balance between technology and personal life. We don't want to make the house and fittings even more medical-looking than now so hiding the tags in the clock is better.

It's also cognitively easier to remember and something the carers can remind her to do if she forgets.

Keeping in contact and maintaining independence are mutual things that need agreement from all of us.

TapCare works for us because it allows us to just build a telecare system that is simple and personalised to the needs of my mother in law.

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