Home Instead partners with Barclays

The new partnership will give franchisees and their care teams across the UK access to online training on all things digital

Home Instead has announced a new partnership with Barclays Digital Eagles that will give its franchisees and their care teams across the UK access to online training on all things digital. This knowledge will then be shared by Home Instead caregivers with their clients and clients’ families, helping more seniors understand technology and integrate it into their daily lives.

The partnership will also create a number of community influencers across the franchise’s 235 strong network, who will share their learnings with their broader communities into the future.

The announcement of this latest partnership comes as Home Instead unveiled new research, which polled 1001 over-65s. The research showed that nearly half (46 per cent) could benefit from education and support around technology, helping them to stay connected as well as access services such as online shopping.

Speaking about the partnership, CEO of Home Instead Martin Jones said: “The pandemic taught us many things, one of which was the importance of connectivity – something which applies to all of us. The research was commissioned as we wanted to gain a better understanding of how technology had been used and, importantly, the barriers to its use. We have been able to show that it’s often a simple lack of knowledge and confidence that is holding so many older people back. That’s something we are really keen to change.”

The study also showed that tech-savvy seniors fared better than their tech-fearing counterparts when it comes to feeling connected to their loved ones.

Liam Mitchell, head of learning at Barclays Digital Eagles said: “In the last year, many of us have depended on technology more than ever to go about our daily lives and stay connected to friends and family. However, we know there are people, particularly older age groups, who don’t feel as confident and therefore aren’t getting the most out of the benefits that digital can bring.

“The Barclays Digital Eagles are passionate about empowering communities across the UK to be more confident with technology, which is why we’ve partnered with Home Instead to provide tailored resources and training that can help their clients and families feel confident and safe using technology to stay in touch and enhance their day to day lives.”

Home Instead franchisees benefit from a number of high-profile partnerships forged by their national office with many influential organisations across the UK, enhancing the quality of care they provide and the ways in which they can enrich the lives of older people.

The Barclays partnership joins several new collaborations launched throughout the past year, including Home Instead’s relationship with Parkinson’s UK. Through this, the home care franchise created a bespoke training programme for its caregivers, allowing them to deliver specialist care to their clients living with the condition.