Challenges of Implementing Digital Technologies in Long-Term Elderly Care: The Case of Russia

One of the key areas of social policy concerning the elderly is the development of a long-term care system. Currently, the elderly population in Russia constitutes 24%. A crucial component of this system is the digitalization of long-term care organizations and the implementation of digital technologies in the care process for elderly people and people with disabilities. A study was conducted using the methods of expert interviews with technological and social entrepreneurs, managers of social agencies as well as survey of social service employees. The research results demonstrate that the elderly care sector is transforming due to the development and implementation of digital technologies. This contributes to the formation of an ecosystem that includes social and technological entrepreneurs, social and medical institutions. The creation of such an ecosystem enables the attraction of investment, which in turn enhances the socio-technological impact of care and rehabilitation. Digital technologies, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) tools – particularly computer vision and voice assistants – contribute to the processes of deinstitutionalization of medical and social care, rehabilitation, and the prevention of adverse conditions in the elderly. It is noted that the use of such digital technologies requires supervision by professionals in the fields of social work and medicine, as well as the enhancement of the digital capital of certain vulnerable groups and the overall elimination of digital inequality. In turn, the active dissemination of AI practices among employees in care institutions allows them to perform many tasks. However, additional training for social organization staff in the use of digital technologies is required.

Acknowledgments. The research was carried out with support of the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) according to the project № 24-18-00542, implemented at St Petersburg University.