ACORN tablets to connect Ukrainian Older People

Description

Since the beginning of the War in Ukraine and the influx of refugees seeking assistance the Fingal County Council’s Community Development Department has provided on-going and varied supports to Ukrainian refugees living in Fingal to assist them to integrate into their surrounding community and to feel a welcome part of life. Initiatives such as English Language classes, Family fun day, Days trips to Heritage sites, Borrow Bike schemes, Art therapy classes, Sports days, Sailing into Wellness events have all taken place in a bid make life as normal as possible for the Ukrainian people while they are resident in Fingal.

As time progresses it is becoming increasingly evident that the older Ukrainian adults are having a particularly difficult time integrating and feeling part of the community and that for the most part they do not want to be included in groups and activities arranged for them. The Support officer reported that although she works closely with them to encourage them to attend classes and days out, they are reluctant due to having a lack of confidence and ability to communicate effectively. They are also extremely concerned about family and loved ones and current affairs in Ukraine.

In the meantime, Skerries Age Friendly who had a pivotal role in the distribution of 35 Acorn tablets to Fingal Nursing homes during the pandemic as method for patients and families to communicate, have ongoing concerns that the tablets are no longer being fully utilised now that visitors can return to nursing homes. Age Friendly Skerries met with the Fingal Age Friendly team and asked if we could engage with the 8 nursing homes in question to assess whether the ACORN tablets were being fully utilised and if they were not, if another use be found for them.

Following discussions between the Ukrainian community officer, Age Friendly Programme manager and regional manager and Age Friendly Skerries it was felt That ACORN tablets may be an excellent way for Ukrainian Older people to engage with online language classes as well as connecting with family & friends and keeping up to date with current affairs in Ukraine. The engagement with the nursing homes was carried out and while some are still using the tablet some were agreeable to returning them for repurposing. It was agreed by all parties that this would be a far better use of the ACORN tablets.

A meeting was held with relevant stakeholders and it was agreed that the Nursing home ACORN tablets were to be upgraded, translated and customised specifically for use by Fingal’s our older Ukrainian people and that the Ukrainian support officer would begin the operation of a lending library of the tablets for older Ukrainian people to use while they were resident in Fingal to connect with classes and initiatives here but also to keep connected with news from home. However there would not be nearly enough to make a significant impact to the lives of the 60 or so Older Ukrainian residents living in Fingal and so Fingal Age Friendly agreed to fund the purchase of 30 new tablets for the project to ensure a fair distribution of the tablets across the county.

The project is ongoing currently with the expectation that the tablets will be ready for distribution to Fingal’s Older Ukrainian Adults in time for online English language classes in September.

Aim of Initiative

To repurpose ACORN tablets used in Nursing homes during covid to assist Older Ukrainian people in Fingal to feel connected with their home, friends and family while integrating into their community here in Fingal.

Who is it aimed at

60+ Older Ukrainian people living in Fingal.

3 Steps critical to success

1. An aligned goals to ensure that the ACORN tablets in our ownership are being fully utilised for the good older people
2. Engagement and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders to ensure success.
3. The Translation of the ACORN tablets into Ukrainian, the linking of the relevant newspapers., websites and news stations to ensure that they are of value to the end user.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Engaging with the Nursing homes – as staff/people involved have moved on. It was difficult to locate the tablets.
2. Ensuring that the translation on the tablets were correct.
3. Arranging the one to one training needed to show the Older adults how to use the tablets.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. The tablets are upgraded and repurposed for a new use.
2. The 60+ Older Ukrainian adult will feel connected not only to their home their friends and to their families but also to the community they are living in.
3. Fingal will increase its stock of ACORN tablet and will constantly review their use to ensure that we are reaching the people that them most at that particular time.