“Though technology cannot and should not replace human interaction, which lies at the heart of care work, innovative digital solutions [...] can improve access to high-quality affordable care services and aid independent living”. This observation, made by the European Commission in its communication on the European Care Strategy of September 2022, encapsulates the vision underpinning the ACE Project.
ACE – short for “Accelerating the Home Care Innovation Ecosystem of the Future in the North Sea Region” – is a 42-month project funded by the European Union’s Interreg North Sea Region Programme and led by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden. Bringing together thirteen partner organisations from six European countries, the Consortium recently met in Antwerp, Belgium, to reflect on the project’s achievements and lessons learned ahead of its conclusion this month.
Supporting companies to cross national borders
Through the ACE pilot support programme, 26 innovations were tested across the North Sea Region, providing several companies with their first opportunity to expand beyond their domestic markets. Among them is HelpSoq, a Dutch company whose solution was piloted within a care organisation in Denmark’s Vesthimmerland Municipality.
Dedicated to helping older people regain their independence and control over their day-to-day lives, HelpSoq created a simple yet ingenious device which enables users to put on compression stockings without assistance from nurses or family caregivers, freeing up valuable time for the latter to focus on more complex and pressing care needs. Speaking of their involvement with the ACE Project, HelpSoq founder Harpert Wouters stated: “It brings parties together who otherwise might not meet. [...] It doesn’t have to be perfect from the start. We can learn together, see what works and what doesn’t, and then prepare for a broader implementation”.
Supporting care staff to deliver personalised care
Despite common concerns that care technology may replace human interaction, the ACE project has demonstrated that new technologies can help staff maintain – and in some cases enhance – the quality of personalised care.
A survey of 87 participants, including home care workers, managers, and technology specialists, found that 60% of care staff did not feel they were providing less personal care since adopting technologies such as virtual visits, digital locks, medicine dispensers, and personal alarm systems. The findings challenge the assumption that personalised care must always be delivered face-to-face. By reducing travel time and simplifying care planning, these technologies can complement human attention, enabling care to be delivered more flexibly and effectively.
Supporting older people to live more independently
For older people, the promise of care technology is not simply greater efficiency – it is greater independence. Across Europe, new technologies are enabling people to manage everyday activities in ways that were once considered out of reach, helping them maintain autonomy and quality of life for longer.
In the Netherlands, for instance, a care organisation in the province of Brabant piloted the Q-Pen, an innovative writing aid developed by Belgian company BV Steeland for people living with Parkinson’s Disease. Combining an ergonomic design with rhythmic auditory cues, the device is intended to improve control, rhythm, and legibility, helping users maintain the ability to write independently. Beyond making a simple everyday task easier, the technology has the potential to boost confidence and preserve independence while simultaneously easing some of the pressure on care systems.
Supporting home care innovation beyond the project
Although the ACE project is drawing to a close, its legacy is expected to extend well beyond its formal end date. With the publication of the North Sea Region Home Care Innovation Strategy and its accompanying Action Plan, the project has laid the groundwork for future innovation across the sector.
Perhaps its most significant lesson is that successful home care innovation is about far more than technology alone. While digital tools can open new possibilities, meaningful and lasting change depends on trust, collaboration, organisational readiness, and a willingness to adapt.
Above all, it requires a deep understanding of the people who provide care, those who receive it, and the systems that connect them.
