Category: AI

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How Does Welfare Technology Enhance The Well-Being of Adults

By Tharaka Palayangodage, Fernando Kumaragewattage & Kahalle Widanage Udeepa

Figure 1. Older adults sharing a tablet. Photograph: Marcus Aurelius (2021), Pexels.

Introduction

Welfare technology can make ordinary activities easier, support safety and help people stay connected. It includes familiar products such as rollators and video calls as well as alarms, reminders and remote monitoring (Nordic Welfare Centre, n.d.). A useful device is not simply one that is available; it must match the person’s own goal, abilities and support network.

This blog has three parts. First, we explain everyday uses. Second, we examine safety, health and independence, including what research can and cannot prove. Third, we consider social well-being, digital skills, privacy and the importance of human contact.

The three topics

Part 1 – Welfare Technology in Everyday Life

Part 2 – Supporting Safety, Health and Independence

Part 3 – Social Well-Being, Challenges and Responsible Use

Part 1 – Welfare Technology in Everyday Life

By Tharaka palayangodage

Figure 2. Everyday mobility and reminders. AI-generated editorial illustration; not a real person.

Welfare technology is technology used to maintain or improve security, activity, participation or independence for older people and people with disabilities (Nordic Welfare Centre, n.d.). It is broader than a single gadget: fitting, instruction and follow-up matter too. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2024) calls assistive technology an umbrella term covering products and the services around them.

Think of a person who wants to water plants, telephone a relative and remember an appointment. A rollator may support movement around the home; a video call can support contact; and a simple reminder can prompt a chosen routine. These are possible uses, not guaranteed outcomes for every person (Nordic Welfare Centre, n.d.).

Practical examples

• Mobility aid: a correctly selected rollator may help someone reach everyday activities.

• Reminder: a phone or clock prompt may support an agreed appointment or routine.

• Communication: video calls and accessibility settings may help a person keep in touch.

• Home controls: accessible lighting or door controls may make some actions easier.

The starting question is “What does this person want to do?” Their preferences, physical environment and ability to obtain help should guide the choice. WHO (2024) notes that costs, limited awareness and gaps in services can prevent access, even when suitable technology exists.

Part 2 – Supporting Safety, Health and Independence

By Fernando Kumaragewattage

Figure 3. Alert, measurement and care response. AI-generated editorial illustration; the devices do not show clinical results.

Safety. A personal alarm or movement sensor can send a request for help. An alert is useful only if someone receives it and knows what to do; the response plan and a backup for device failure are just as important as the device itself (Nordic Welfare Centre, n.d.).

Health. Home measurements and medication support can help with an agreed care plan, but a reading or reminder should not be treated as a diagnosis or a substitute for professional assessment. In a Finnish assisted-living study, medicine-dispensing technology was associated with less time spent on medicine tasks, not with more measured direct care time; night monitoring was associated with more direct night care and fewer night staff (Väisänen et al., 2026).

Independence. Matching a mobility aid, accessible communication or a home control to a person’s goal may help preserve choice and daily function (WHO, 2024). Yet evidence does not show that every technology package automatically improves outcomes. In the ATTILA randomized trial of 495 people with dementia, a full assistive-technology and telecare package did not significantly prolong living at home compared with a basic package (Gathercole et al., 2021).

Read the findings carefully: the Finnish study was observational and did not directly test residents’ safety outcomes; ATTILA tested specific packages for people with dementia, not every device in every setting. Staff capacity, the person’s preferences and follow-up still matter (Gathercole et al., 2021; Väisänen et al., 2026).

Part 3 – Social Well-Being, Challenges and Responsible Use

By Kahalle Widanage Udeepa

Figure 4. Video contact with human support. AI-generated editorial illustration; not a photographed client.

A video call can offer a way to speak with a friend or family member when travel is difficult. But connection is more than access to a screen. WHO (2025) describes loneliness as the painful gap between desired and actual relationships; its report says the effect of digital technology on social connection is mixed and depends on how it is used. A device should add to meaningful contact, not displace visits or a person’s preferred activities.

Digital skills are an access issue. Small text, hearing or vision changes, confusing menus and lack of confidence can make a seemingly simple app difficult. We would begin with one action the person wants to learn, show it slowly, then ask them to try it. The teach-back or show-me approach checks whether our explanation was clear; it does not test the person (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2024).

Privacy matters especially when technology collects location, health information or images. Health information needs particular protection, and EU data-protection principles require personal data to be limited to what is necessary for its purpose (European Data Protection Board, n.d.). Before using a connected device, the care team should explain in plain language what it records, who can see it and what happens if it stops working. The person’s choice and the organisation’s rules must guide use.

For example, a person might prefer one weekly video call and a regular face-to-face activity, while declining a camera in their home. This is a suggested scenario, not a report of a Soteekki client. Respecting that choice is part of responsible care.

Conclusion

The strongest approach starts with the person’s own goal. Welfare technology may support daily activity, safety, independence and communication, but the benefits depend on fit, training, response and review. Research offers useful guidance without making every device a guaranteed solution; privacy and human relationships remain essential (Gathercole et al., 2021; WHO, 2025).

References

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2024, April). Use the teach-back method: Tool 5. https://www.ahrq.gov/health-literacy/improve/precautions/tool5.html European Data Protection Board. (n.d.). Data protection basics. https://www.edpb.europa.eu/sme/learn-the-basics/data-protection-basics_en

Gathercole, R., Bradley, R., Harper, E., Davies, L., Pank, L., Lam, N., Davies, A., Talbot, E., Hooper, E., Winson, R., Scutt, B., Ordonez Montano, V., Nunn, S., Lavelle, G., Lariviere, M., Hirani, S., Brini, S., Bateman, A., Bentham, P., . . . Howard, R. (2021). Assistive technology and telecare to maintain independent living at home for people with dementia: The ATTILA RCT. Health Technology Assessment, 25(19), 1–156. https://doi.org/10.3310/hta25190 Nordic Welfare Centre. (n.d.). Welfare technology. https://nordicwelfare.org/en/welfare-policy/welfaretech/

Väisänen, V., Karhulahti-Nordström, H., Saukkonen, P., Ruotsalainen, S., Josefsson, K., & Sinervo, T. (2026). Can technology use alleviate workforce needs in Finnish assisted living services? A convergent mixed-methods study of automatic medicine dispensers and night-time monitoring. Journal of Nursing Management, 2026, Article 2309539. https://doi.org/10.1155/jonm/2309539 World Health Organization. (2024, January 2). Assistive technology. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/assistive-technology

World Health Organization. (2025). From loneliness to social connection: Charting a path to healthier societies (plain-language summary). https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/who-commission-on-social-connection/whocsc-plainlanguage-en_comp.pdf?sfvrsn=c5396dff_6

Image credit

Aurelius, M. (2021, February 11). Man and woman sitting on sofa while looking at a tablet computer [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-and-woman-sitting-on-sofa-while-looking-at-a-tablet-computer-6787960/

Figures 2–4 were generated for this blog in September 2026. They depict imagined situations and are not evidence of measured benefits. Source information checked 23 September 2026.

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Human Skills AI Cannot Replace

By: Thiwantha Nawaratne, Dewmini Rathnayake

Why empathy, ethical judgment, creativity and human connection still matter in the age of AI

Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of our everyday lives. It can write, summarise, analyse data, recognise patterns and complete many repetitive tasks faster than humans. AI is developing extremely quickly, and it is changing the way we study, work and communicate.

But as AI becomes more powerful, an important question remains:

What can humans still do that AI cannot truly replace?

The answer lies in some of our most human qualities — our emotions, experiences, relationships, values and sense of responsibility.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, skills involving human interaction, empathy, judgment and creativity have low potential for substitution by current AI.

So, what makes these skills so important?

Empathy: Understanding How Others Feel

Empathy means being able to understand another person’s feelings and respond with care.

AI can recognise words and patterns in communication, but it does not experience emotions as humans do. A person can notice body language, tone of voice and small changes in behaviour.

For example, imagine a colleague who suddenly becomes very quiet during a meeting. A human may notice this change and think, “Is everything okay?” They may decide to talk to the person and offer support.

This kind of understanding is especially important in healthcare, education, social services and customer service.

Empathy helps us understand people’s feelings, notice when someone needs help, provide emotional support and build trust. AI can support communication, but genuine empathy comes from human experience.

Ethical Judgment: Making Difficult Decisions

AI can analyse a huge amount of information and give recommendations. However, difficult decisions are not always about finding the fastest or most logical answer.

Sometimes there is no perfect solution.

Humans need to think about what is right and fair, how a decision may affect other people, and who should take responsibility for the final choice.

For example, in healthcare, a nurse may need to consider a patient’s wishes, safety, dignity and privacy at the same time. AI can provide useful information, but the human professional must use their judgment and take responsibility for the decision.

Creativity: Ideas Based on Human Experience

AI can now create pictures, music, stories and other forms of content. It can combine information and produce different versions of an idea.

However, human creativity is often connected to personal memories, emotions, culture and life experiences.

A person may write a song because it reminds them of someone they love. Someone may create a story based on their childhood or design something inspired by their culture.

AI can help develop an idea, but the original inspiration can come from something deeply personal.

Human creativity allows us to express emotions, share experiences, connect different ideas, express culture and imagine new possibilities for the future.

Human Connection and Trust

Another important quality that AI cannot truly replace is human connection.

People want to feel heard, understood and valued. Trust develops through real relationships and shared experiences.

A good nurse, teacher, colleague or leader does more than provide information. They listen, encourage, support and show that they care.

Trust grows when people are present, listen carefully, keep their promises and treat others with respect.

These simple human actions can make a big difference in how people feel and how they connect with each other.

Why These Skills Matter for the Future

AI will continue to make many routine tasks faster and easier. This does not mean that humans will become less important.

Instead, our human skills may become even more valuable.

We do not need to compete with AI in speed. We can use AI as a tool while developing the qualities that make us human.

Empathy, ethical judgment, creativity and human connection will continue to be important in workplaces and everyday life.

How Can We Develop These Skills?

The good news is that these skills can be developed through everyday practice.

Practice active listening: Listen carefully to the other person instead of thinking about your own reply while they are speaking.

Take time with difficult decisions: Think about the situation, other people’s needs and the possible consequences before making a decision.

Create without AI: Try writing, drawing, brainstorming or solving a problem on your own. This helps strengthen independent thinking and creativity.

Spend time with real people: Face-to-face conversations and shared experiences help us develop empathy and understanding.

Be reliable: Keeping promises and being consistent helps build trust.

The Bottom Line

AI is changing the way we live and work. It can make many tasks faster, easier and more efficient. But technology cannot replace everything that makes us human.

Empathy helps us understand people. Ethical judgment helps us make responsible decisions. Creativity allows us to express our ideas and experiences. Human connection helps us build trust and meaningful relationships.

The future does not have to be humans versus AI.

Instead, it can be humans using AI while strengthening the skills that make us uniquely human.

Sources

· World Economic Forum. Future of Jobs Report 2025 — Skills Outlook.

· Workday. 7 Human Skills AI Can Never Replace.

· Plain AI Daily. Jobs AI Can’t Replace in 2026 — citing Anthropic usage data.

· Forbes. 4 Soft Skills AI Can’t Replace (April 2026).