In an age where global demographics are undergoing profound changes, the impact of aging populations on social care services is becoming increasingly evident. This demographic shift brings about pressing issues such as strengthening healthcare and social support systems and a shrinking workforce. Over the past four years, one of our project teams has been developing solutions addressing these shifts head-on and focusing on the digitalization of social care services. This article invites you to explore our journey with the Client in reshaping social care services in Sweden. 

Aging societies and challenges

In the not-so-distant future, our world will be shaped by the growing population of seniors. By 2050, nearly 2.1 billion people globally will be 60 and older. In Sweden, 18% of the population is already beyond the retirement age of 65, which is predicted to reach 30% by 2030. Germany has the second-oldest population globally (24.8%) is expected to rise to 39% by 2050. In the UK, the number of individuals aged 80 and above is set to rise from 3 million to 8 million by 2050. The implications are profound, with challenges ranging from the need to fortify healthcare and social support systems to the impact on workforce dynamics and economic structures.

One pressing concern lies in the urgent need to fortify healthcare systems to meet the evolving demands of an older population. As individuals age, health-related issues have a natural escalation, increasing the burden on medical infrastructure, resources, and personnel. Ensuring accessibility to quality healthcare services becomes paramount, requiring innovative solutions to accommodate the unique healthcare needs of elderly individuals.

Simultaneously, the strain on social support systems becomes more pronounced as the elderly population grows. Elderly individuals often require various forms of social assistance, from community support programs to specialized care facilities. Meeting these demands necessitates financial investment and a thoughtful reevaluation and restructuring of social welfare programs to ensure inclusivity and effectiveness.

The impact on workforce dynamics is another significant challenge associated with aging populations. A shrinking workforce and a growing number of retirees can lead to skill shortages and a potential decline in productivity.

On the way to the digitalization of social care & welfare services: a project example

Our Client – a leading Swedish software solutions provider in the eHealth & Welfare sector – faces today’s big challenges by committing to digitalizing social care and welfare services.

With our Client, Sigma IT Poland has been developing solutions that address challenges surrounding aging populations and the imperative for more effective management of resources, finances, and social care infrastructure. Working closely with the client team in Sweden, our four cross-functional scrum teams of 34 skilled professionals have been developing comprehensive end-to-end solutions that cover all aspects of social care and social services in Sweden.

Project goals and development

Our journey began four years ago with a small team of six. The goals of the project were:

 – Rebuilding the core application and reducing the number of critical errors

 – Delivering new functionalities within the timeline. ​

 – Maintenance of 2 versions of the application

We rebuilt and stabilized the core application during the first six months with enhanced continuous maintenance and support. Gradually, from a team delivery provider, we became a key tech partner for E2E solution deliveries. The 6-person team has grown to 34 people, including:

• Scrum Masters
• Full-Stack Developers
• React Developers
• .NET/C# Developers
•  Database Developers
•  QA Developers
• Solution Architects.

Together with the client team, we introduced a wide range of new functionalities to the services ecosystem designed for municipalities and the private sector.

These functionalities connect individuals, authorities, and service providers seamlessly, fostering efficient management of social care services. Key features include easy help request creation, streamlined investigations, citizen information gathering, management of social care actions, and essential support for Health and Social Care (HSL) workers.

Through unwavering dedication, strong team spirit, and effective client communication, we achieved remarkable results together.

Key achievements

Our achievements in technology and organizational development stand as a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation. From revolutionizing social welfare care with innovative solutions to seamlessly transitioning to automated testing and expanding our team’s capabilities, our common journey with our Client showcases a dedication to staying at the forefront of industry trends.

Key accomplishments:

• Innovative Solutions: We helped build cutting-edge solutions tailored for municipals and the private sector that contribute to raising the quality of social welfare care.
  
• Agile Transformation: we assisted the Client in transforming and successfully adopting SAFe practices for more streamlined operations, like Lean-Agile Leadership, Program Increments (PI) with PI Plannings and System Demo, PI planning as alignment meetings for ART, Innovation and Planning Iteration (IP iteration), DevOps as culture.
  
• Enhanced Testing: Transitioned from weeks of manual testing to executing 700 automated scenarios in a single night.
  
• iOS App Development: we’ve created a mobile app in just ten weeks, enabling users to work seamlessly at customer locations.
  
• Scalable Delivery: Grew from a team of 6 to 34 Engineers and Scrum Masters, showcasing our ability to scale effectively.
  
• DevOps Culture:  we introduced DevOps practices to enhance the efficiency of software delivery.

WATCH VIDEO: Improving the quality of social care & welfare services through digitalization.

As we look towards the future, we invite you to join us in building something great together. Let’s continue to innovate, adapt, and positively impact the evolving landscape of social care services.