Scientific publications
- K. Kruithof, R.C. Ruehle, F. van Etten-Jamaludin, B. Frederiks, V. Dörenberg (2025): Digital assistive technologies to support community-dwelling older adults: an interpretative synthesis of experienced benefits and harms pp. 1 - 14
- K. Kruithof, V. Dörenberg, B. Frederiks (2026): What is required for digital care and support technologies to be experienced as good care by community-dwelling older adults? A qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research.
Models
The models presented below are developed based on data from our empirical research. Most of the models are also discussed in scientific papers produced within the MOVUS project. The model outlining the ten lessons is the exception and was developed specifically to bring together the project’s key practical insights.
Model: Mechanisms of resilience and vulnerability
This model explains how care technology can both strengthen resilience and increase vulnerability among older adults. Technology may support physical functioning, safety and daily structure, but it can also reduce human contact, affect privacy, create dependency or weaken personal skills. These outcomes depend on individual factors, such as cognitive abilities, motivation, digital skills and social support, as well as organisational conditions, including implementation, training, support and evaluation. The model highlights the importance of considering both the intended benefits and possible unintended consequences of care technology.
This model shows how responsibilities may shift when care technology is introduced. These changes are not caused by the technology itself, but by how care professionals and other stakeholders adapt their routines and decisions. Tasks that were previously carried out through direct observation or personal contact may become partly delegated to technology. As reliance on technology increases, responsibilities can become less visible or unclear. When the technology fails, it may reveal gaps in oversight, delayed action or uncertainty about accountability. The model encourages organisations to clarify who remains responsible throughout the use of care technology.
Model: Ethical and legal guidance: Good digital care and support for older adults living at home
This aim of this guideline is to provide organizations with practical guidance for making well-considered decisions about digital care and support, so that the use of technology contributes to good-quality care. The guideline is interpreted from a human rights perspective on good care and complemented by insights from medical ethics and Dutch health law. The four elements of the right to health include: availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality; with attention to what these elements mean for the use of care technologies in home care. The guideline is structured around three consecutive phases:
- General exploration: exploring the possibilities and added value of different care technologies.
- Before individual implementation: carefully assessing whether a particular care technology is appropriate for a specific client.
- During implementation: supporting, evaluating, and, where necessary, adjusting the use of the care technology.
For each phase, the guideline sets out what the four elements of the right to health require from home care organizations in order to use care technologies in ways that contribute to good care for older people living at home. The guideline can be used at different stages of the process of selecting, implementing, and evaluating care technologies. For the full version of the guideline, see: Ethisch-juridische leidraad | Xendens
Model: Ten lessons for the successful implementation of care technology
This model presents ten lessons for successfully implementing and sustainably integrating care technology into everyday care practices. Based on empirical findings from the MOVUS project, it shows that successful implementation depends not only on the technology itself, but also on how it is embedded in care processes, working practices and social relationships. The lessons support organisations in selecting, implementing, evaluating and integrating technology. They also emphasise the importance of involving care professionals, clients, informal caregivers, technology suppliers and other partners throughout the implementation process.