The adult social care sector in the UK faces a significant set of challenges. One of the most significant is a chronic shortage of carers, to the extent that the care system has often been brought to the brink of collapse. Coupled with the potential loss of talent because of Brexit, it is clear that the sector needs to work hard to maintain and expand the number of carers. While there is a lot of hype around how tech might provide solutions to the ever-growing demand for elderly care – from robot companions to apps instead of doctors – there is a delicate balance to be struck between tech that empowers elderly people and those who care for them, and tech that distances vital carers from the profession.
