How technology is improving outcomes for people with learning disabilities in social care

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This article about technology in social care in sponsored by Log my Care

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While the government has stated it wants to achieve parity between health and social care, the recent budget has left many in the sector questioning this commitment. In an open letter to Rachel Reeves signed by 35 specialist care CEOs, they have called for urgent action to mitigate the financial impact on specialist care due to the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions and National Living Wage – estimated to cost the adult care sector an additional £2.4bn per year.

With resources stretched to breaking point, care providers can turn to technology to improve efficiency and enhance person-centred care. In this article, we look at how this shift can lead to better outcomes for people with learning disabilities and what care providers with limited resources can do to drive the adoption of technology in care.

Understanding data-driven care

Data-driven care uses technology to gather insights that guide and improve care decisions. This data collection can lead to cost savings by flagging potential incidences before they occur, shifting the delivery of care from reactive to proactive.

Collecting data on the health and care needs of people with learning disabilities means care providers can spot potential issues before they become more serious. For example, by tracking daily routines, sleep patterns or behavioural changes, care teams can identify shifts that might signal a need for extra support. If someone is becoming increasingly agitated or changes their eating habits, this might be an early indicator of pain, discomfort or mental health concerns that need attention.

By tracking behaviours, medications and daily activities, digital care management platforms help care providers monitor people’s health and wellbeing. Over time, this will help identify trends that may indicate a need for intervention or a change in how care is received. For example, if someone’s social engagement decreases or they lose interest in their daily activities, it may signal the need for further assessment or additional support to help maintain their wellbeing.

Deepening relationships in care

Relationships will always be at the heart of person-centred care and now we’re seeing a move towards using technology to support them. Care providers are taking advantage of tools like data-driven matching, which use data to save time when allocating staff to the people they support based on whether they’re part of an assigned care team or their relationship and familiarity.

When carers consistently work with the same people, they truly get to know them and understand their preferences, routines, and communication styles. This leads to more personalised care and carers seeing the positive impact of their work, creating more job satisfaction and better outcomes for the people receiving support.

Digital platforms that connect rostering and care management can help care providers make the most of stretched resources by matching the right carers based on skills, familiarity, and continuity. With the right system in place – one that’s easy to use, scalable, and data-driven – providers can reduce strain on resources, improve staff satisfaction, and deliver better, more consistent outcomes for the people they support. All of this helps to deepen the relationships that make up the foundation of social care.

Delivering personalised, goal-orientated care

Care providers delivering person-centred care know it goes far beyond addressing a person’s physical needs and focuses on their overall wellbeing, ensuring they receive support to meet their goals and aspirations. However, tracking goals on a spreadsheet can be challenging when time is already tight!

Technology can make it easier for care providers to help people set and track their goals with features like end-to-end goal management. Setting and tracking objectives that are important to the individual, like improved mental health, new daily activities or increased mobility alongside measurable actions can help build wellbeing and increase independence.

Enabling independence in care

As well as optimising resource allocation and deepening relationships, technology is a tool to increase independence in care settings. Individual-led digital care plans can facilitate self-advocacy, helping people to communicate their preferences and needs, ensuring they have a voice in their care.

No care provider ever wants the people they support to feel unheard or uninformed about the care they’re receiving. That’s why involving them in decision-making about their care is critical to helping them retain as much independence as they can.

A digital record of signed consent informs families and friends that their loved one is receiving the high-quality care they deserve. Consenting to care means that people are at the heart of the plans put in place to support them. Giving the people you support all the information they need to make confident and competent decisions empowers them to be fully involved in their own care.

What’s next for care leaders who want to improve outcomes in care?

Care providers with stretched budgets and resources can use technology to do more with less and improve outcomes in care by:

• Using available data for proactive care: Care management platforms start collecting data the day you start using them. This can help you spot incidences before they occur, leading to less errors and more proactive care.
• Using technology to increase staff wellbeing and retention: Using data to quickly and easily assign staff based on relationship and familiarity with the people they support allows carers to see the impact of their work leading to higher job satisfaction.
• Delivering goal-orientated care: With end-to-end goal management, you can set and track goals that the people you support truly care about leading to increased wellbeing and autonomy in care.
• Enabling independence with person-centred care plans: When the people you support get a say in their care plans, they can consent to the care they receive and have a voice in their care.

While technology is not a replacement for human-centred care, it can enhance it. By helping care providers optimise stretched resources, reducing administrative burden, deepening connections, and enabling individualised care planning.

Technology should be used as a tool to help people feel empowered to live their best lives and reach their aspirations. Giving them input into their care plans, involving them in goal setting, and having the ability to consent to the care they receive gives them autonomy and increases their independence.

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Sam Hussain is Co-Founder and CEO of Log my Care, a platform for outstanding care management.

Find out more at www.logmycare.co.uk.