Developing innovative action plans that meet the needs, preferences and prerequisites of the older citizen is a key aspect of the WIPP-project. Digital training, as a single intervention as well as a supplement to group-based interventions, indeed offers its users an exercise platform, which is flexible, calls for no transportation and, once developed, is very low cost. Though many older citizens are today not accustomed to use a computer, tablet or smartphone, the segment that is familiar with digital devices and using the internet as a part of their everyday life, is growing explosively, and therefore there is an urgency to increase the focus on digital solutions.
Work package 4.1 and 5.2 are excited to tell, that we are now cooperating with Welfare Denmark (WD) in the development and implementation of WP 4.2. WD is an innovative welfare technology company that provide a very user-friendly virtual training platform that is simple and intuitive to use for both the citizen and the health care professional operating it. The WD approach makes it very easy to translate the virtual training into different languages and some of their existing products already exists in German. WD virtual training has been used by rehabilitation professionals since 2010 and the solutions are applied in various Danish municipalities and the insurance business. The company won Microsoft’s Global Innovation Award in 2013. The cooperation between WIPP and WD is now entering a very interesting phase were new customized features for the WIPP project are investigated and developed into the platform.
For instance, the WD virtual training has an integrated feedback system, which has the potential to provide us highly valuable data for the scientific evaluation of the intervention if tailored for the purpose. Also, the intervention content in terms of exercise videos are currently being revised by the SDU workgroup members to fit the platform, so that the production of professional exercise sessions can be initiated. We look very much forward to presenting the work package 4.2 Virtual Preventive Home Training to all of you.