Resparke simplifies interface to boost usage

Wellbeing tech company Resparke is undertaking several trials across different aged care homes in the hopes they can extend access to the platform beyond lifestyle teams.

Resparke is a simple-to-use platform that aged care staff, residents or family members can use to upload personalised data to and build a library of content that can entertain and reduce loneliness amongst users. It can also provide comfort to culturally and linguistically diverse residents who wish to engage with the music or language of their countries of origin.

Resparke chief executive officer and founder Alison Harrington told Australian Ageing Agenda they have re-assessed their approach to the hardware, moving from tablets to a kiosk tablet and televisions with a stripped-down interface to improve accessibility.

Traditionally used by lifestyle workers or people delivering recreational and lifestyle programs, Ms Harrington said the trials are seeing an increase in care workers using the Resparke platform.

“We have it set up in two group areas in the home and then in 10 resident groups and with a mix of cognitive and non-cognitive residents,” she told AAA at the recent Ageing Australia conference in Sydney.

“Looking at both of those scenarios, we’re seeing is that the usage has dramatically gone up in use of the platform and the platform is being used a lot of times with headphones, but also a lot of times without headphones, just making it way more accessible.”

She also noted that it’s being used after hours and on weekends and that families of residents are engaging with the platform too.

“Families are uploading personalisation data to the platform and they’re then able to engage with the platform when they’re in the resident’s room, which has been really lovely,” Ms Harrington added.

Upon request, Resparke has also added a feature that allows families to upload photos to the device in real-time.

“So, it’s the visual prompt of actually being there experiencing something and then being able to put the photo up. We’ve also seen it work with palliative care, which has been really lovely… it was on the TV and the kiosk… and the family ended up going in and finding all his favourite music and leaving that playing in the room and having that in the background,” Ms Harrington said.

These have all been positive signs for Resparke, Ms Harrington said, and both quantitative data and qualitative data from interviews with carers will be available soon.

“We’re interested in the carer experience and to see also that this program is building connection between the carers and the people they’re caring for, because we think things like conversation starters, having photos on the screens, being able to trigger those conversations and connection will be another way in which wellbeing is enhanced – not just for the resident but also for the staff,” said Ms Harrington. “That could have a lot of knock-on effects in terms of job satisfaction [and] retention.”

Resparke is also going to evolve the interface for the home care environment for people living with dementia.

“That’s where we’re certainly getting a lot of interest from that sector, and we can see a big need in the same way to build connections with carers so they know about the person, and then they can have a tool that can build that connection, also offer them some form of meaningful engagement around what they’re interested in,” Ms Harrington said.

A part of the development of the dementia interface is trialling video messages from family members to reduce anxiety and agitation.

“Loneliness is a big issue to solve for, and how technology can solve for that is an opportunity for us to experience,” said Ms Harrington. 

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