New App shows what it’s like to receive care
Have you ever stopped to think what it actually feels like to have someone enter your ‘personal space’ to give you care and support? This is a key question that needs to be addressed by anyone working with the increasing number of people dependent on social care
Now those giving care and support can experience what it feels like to be receiving care by using the new BeMe smartphone App, which has been developed by the Digital Learning Team at the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) in partnership with experts in the School of Simulation and Visualisation at The Glasgow School of Art (SimVis).
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| A carer sees the world from the perspective of the person being cared for by using the BeMe App |
BeMe uses state of the art 360° immersive videos and spatialised audio to create the experience of what it feels like to be a person receiving care. It allows choice of several types of services and settings to give a broad understanding of different care situations and can be used as an integral part of both staff training and continuous professional learning. After watching the videos from each category, users then have an opportunity to reflect on and record their thoughts.
All that is needed to run the App is to place an Apple or Android smart phone into a Virtual Reality head-mounted display, which can be bought for a few pounds in many supermarkets, and connect a pair of earphones.
“Given the many pressures they face, those delivering care can often become focused on the tasks of helping someone and not think about what it might feel like to have a worker so physically close by,” says George Burton, Manager of the SSSC’s Digital Learning Team. “We all have our own personal space and often feel uncomfortable when people enter it moving to create distance, but how does it feel if we can’t move or have to let people enter our space to provide care and support?”
“By harnessing the power of immersive multimedia and mobile technology, this App could make a step change in training for social care and support, meaning that people giving care can be fully aware of the issues around entering other people’s space before they begin their care work.” adds Dr Matthieu Poyade, MSc Pathway Leader in Medical Visualisation and Human Anatomy, School of Simulation and Visualisation at the GSA.
For more information about the app and links to download it visit:
https://lms.learn.sssc.uk.com/course/view.php?id=68
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For further information contact:
Sandra Wilson: Sandra.Wilson@sssc.uk.com
Lesley Booth, 07799414474 / press@gsa.ac.uk