AI in social care beyond the hype article

AI in social care: beyond the hype, do you know what you’re trying to change?

By Thomas Tredinnick, CEO and Co-Founder, Ally Cares

There’s an extraordinary amount of AI technology for care homes competing for attention, with solutions promising everything from reduced administration and better care planning to earlier identification of risks.

Having spent years developing technology for social care, I’m naturally optimistic about its potential. But I wonder whether, in all the enthusiasm surrounding AI, enough attention is being given to what care homes actually want to change.

When I speak with care home managers, I’m increasingly interested in what they want to be different for residents and care teams, rather than which technologies they’re considering. Without a clear understanding of the problem, the evidence supporting a solution and what success should look like, how can anyone judge whether an investment is worthwhile?

There’s another consideration that deserves attention. Are care homes prepared for the possibility that technology might reveal something about established practices that needs to change?

Are care homes solving the right problem?

One of the most interesting lessons we’ve learnt at Ally is that the reason a care home introduces technology isn’t always where its greatest value emerges.

At Jackmans Lodge, a 30-bed residential care home supporting people living with dementia, the initial priority was preventing falls. However, greater insight into residents’ overnight experiences revealed that established checking routines were unnecessarily disturbing their sleep.

Karen Baker, the Registered Manager, described how difficult it was for the night team to change practices they had followed for years.

“That was really hard to break, especially the night staff.”

The home subsequently reported 62% fewer disturbing checks, alongside improvements in residents’ daytime alertness and engagement.

What interests me about Jackmans Lodge is how technology introduced to prevent falls revealed an unexpected opportunity to improve residents’ sleep and wellbeing.

When does more information lead to better care?

Another challenge is the assumption that more data automatically means better information.

Care homes already manage considerable amounts of information, and another system producing reports, notifications or dashboards can create additional work without necessarily improving decisions.

At Maypole Grove, Home Manager Zoe Shears described how Ally helped care teams understand patterns of vocalisation, agitation and overnight disturbance that had previously been difficult to interpret.

This supported more informed discussions about residents’ needs, including reviews of care arrangements, medication and how care teams organised their time.

Zoe described the difference it made to the team.

“They felt like they could deliver even more quality care. They weren’t rushing around doing everything at once.”

For me, that’s a more meaningful measure of technology’s value than the number of alerts generated.

Bringing together daytime observations with what happens overnight creates a more complete picture of residents’ health and wellbeing, helping care teams recognise changes and make more informed decisions.

Are care homes prepared to challenge established practices?

At Elmbrook Court, there was initially some hesitation among care teams about adopting Ally. As they became familiar with the information and recognised its practical value, the technology gradually became part of everyday working practices.

Morning reports helped the team review unsettled nights, identify changes in residents’ wellbeing and consider appropriate adjustments.

The significant change wasn’t simply learning to operate a system. It was incorporating new information into how care teams understood residents and approached their responsibilities.

From our experience working with care homes, successful AI adoption in care homes depends on more than installation and training. It requires leadership that explains the purpose of change and supports care teams to work differently.

And technology suppliers also have responsibilities. We need to understand care environments, explain what our technology can and cannot do, and provide meaningful support beyond installation.

What should matter when investing in AI technology?

With so many AI solutions available, care homes should expect more than impressive demonstrations. They need credible evidence, clarity about integration with existing systems, realistic implementation support and agreement about how improvements will be measured.

At Ally, our advanced resident monitoring technology helps care teams understand what happens between care interactions. It works alongside existing nurse call systems and can integrate information into digital care planning. But its real value depends on what care homes do with that information.

Fewer unnecessary checks can protect sleep. Earlier recognition of changing behaviour can prompt investigation. Time returned to care teams can create opportunities for more meaningful support.

These outcomes need to be evidenced rather than assumed, which is why I’ve previously argued that AI in social care should be judged by outcomes rather than technology.

What has genuinely changed for residents?

I suspect the care homes that achieve the greatest value from AI won’t necessarily have the largest technology budgets. They’ll have clear objectives, leadership willing to challenge established practices and care teams supported to use new information confidently.

For technology companies, demonstrating that a system works isn’t enough. We need credible evidence of its impact and a willingness to keep learning from care homes’ experiences.

Sometimes the greatest opportunities emerge from understanding what has previously remained unseen between care interactions.

I remain enormously optimistic about AI’s potential in social care. But progress shouldn’t be measured by how many care homes adopt the technology or how sophisticated it becomes.

It should be measured by what genuinely improves for the people living and working in those homes.

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