In her recent master’s thesis, Martha Diboya Isandap explored how welfare technology affects healthcare workers. Read more below!
What was the topic?
My master’s thesis investigated the impact of welfare technology on the work of healthcare workers in care homes for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The study focused on how technologies such as sensor alarms, electronic medication support, and digital supervision systems are integrated into everyday care practices, and how they influence workers’ roles, responsibilities, and relationships.
Why did you focus on this topic?
I was drawn to this topic through my professional experience working with individuals with intellectual disabilities. In that role, I witnessed both the potential and the challenges of integrating welfare technology into daily care routines. Building on this experience, I became increasingly interested in how the rapid digitalization of care services is reshaping the nature of care work, particularly in settings where relational interaction is essential.
I aimed to explore the gap between broader ambitions for welfare technology and the everyday realities of frontline care, specifically by examining how it affects the work of healthcare workers in care homes for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In doing so, I sought to highlight the often overlooked experiences and insights of care workers, who play a central role in shaping how technology is actually implemented in practice.
Which method and data did you use?
The study was based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with ten healthcare workers in care homes in Eastern Norway. I used thematic analysis to identify key patterns in the data. The analysis was guided by Actor Network Theory (ANT) and Interpretive Flexibility Theory. These perspectives helped me understand how welfare technology is embedded in complex care environments, shaped by interactions between people, practices and tools. They provided a clear lens for exploring how technology is interpreted, negotiated, and experienced in the everyday work of healthcare professionals.
What were the main findings?
The study found that welfare technology significantly reshaped how care is delivered. First, it changed the understanding of what counts as “good care.” Technologies like video monitoring and medication dispensers improved efficiency and reduced workload, but also limited face-to-face interaction, shifting focus toward task completion and documentation.
Second, while these tools aimed to promote autonomy, they sometimes reduced opportunities for meaningful connection between staff and residents. Technology that enabled independence could also create emotional distance.
Third, professional roles were transformed. Care workers were increasingly responsible for monitoring systems and managing technical tasks, blending caregiving with digital coordination. While some adapted easily, others struggled with the new demands.
Finally, a competence gap became clear. Many workers lacked the training and support needed to fully understand and manage the technologies. Ethical concerns also arose, particularly regarding reduced human contact and privacy.
The findings show that the impact of welfare technology depends not only on the tools themselves, but on how they are introduced, supported, and experienced in the realities of daily care work.