Introduction: Why Digital Home Visits Matter
Digital technology is increasingly essential for everyday life. Accessing healthcare, staying in touch with family and friends, managing finances, accessing public services, and participating in community life all rely on digital skills and confidence. However, many residents face barriers that make it difficult to benefit from these opportunities.
For some people, physical health conditions, disability, caring responsibilities, anxiety, low confidence, or limited mobility can prevent them from attending community-based digital support sessions. Others require highly personalised assistance that cannot easily be delivered in a group setting.
Digital Home Visits provide an important solution by bringing tailored support directly into people's homes. This approach enables residents to learn in a familiar environment, receive one-to-one guidance at their own pace, and overcome challenges that may otherwise lead to exclusion, isolation, or increased dependence on others.
The following case studies demonstrate how Bury Works: Digital for All’s funded HMR Circle's Digital Home Visits service, supported by volunteers recruited through Bury Council's Digital Buddy scheme, has helped residents improve their confidence, independence, wellbeing and connection to their communities.
Case Study 1: Building Confidence Through Personalised Support
Background
M is a retired woman aged over 50 who was referred to Circle's Digital Home Visit service by a Social Prescriber. She had owned an iPhone for some time but found it overwhelming and difficult to navigate. As a result, she had avoided properly learning how to use the device for approximately 18 months.
Although local digital support sessions were available, M found it difficult to leave the house. Her husband had suffered a stroke and was no longer able to provide the support he previously offered. Home-based digital support therefore presented the most accessible way for her to receive help.
Challenges
M experienced several barriers to digital engagement:
- Low confidence using her smartphone.
- Difficulty navigating between screens and apps.
- Anxiety about making mistakes when using technology.
- Limited ability to attend community-based support sessions.
- A desire to access healthcare services through the NHS App, including ordering repeat prescriptions.
Support Provided
A Circle Digital Home Visit volunteer visited M at home and provided patient, one-to-one support tailored to her needs. Rather than expecting M to attend a class before she felt ready, the home visit allowed her to learn in a familiar environment and at her own pace.
The support helped M to become more comfortable using digital technology and, importantly, gave her the confidence to take the next step and attend one of Circle’s local digital classes in Prestwich.
At the class, Circle provided further support, including helping M to install the NHS App on her iPad, how to navigate the app, and supporting her to identify a suitable replacement smartphone that would better meet her needs.
Impact
The Digital Home Visit acted as an important first step for M. After putting off dealing with her phone for approximately 18 months, receiving support at home helped reduce her anxiety around technology and gave her the confidence to access further learning in her community.
Following the Prestwich digital session, M contacted Circle specifically to say how glad she was that she had attended and to thank the team for the support she received. She described the volunteer supporting the session as very helpful and welcoming.
Her increased confidence has also encouraged her to continue developing her digital skills independently of Circle. While attending the session, M was directed to a six week digital skills course taking place locally, run by Bury Adult Learning. She has now booked herself onto the course.
The impact therefore extends beyond learning how to use a particular device. M has progressed from avoiding her smartphone and being unable to attend digital sessions to actively seeking out further learning opportunities. Improving her ability to use digital technology also gives her greater independence in everyday life, including accessing NHS services and managing her prescriptions.
Outcomes
M’s experience demonstrates the value of providing flexible digital inclusion support for people who face barriers to attending traditional community-based sessions.
Circle’s Digital Home Visit service provided an accessible starting point at a time when M was struggling to leave the house and lacked confidence with technology. The personalised support she received at home enabled her to take the next step into a local Circle digital class and, from there, into further community learning.
By meeting M where she was, both physically and in terms of her digital confidence, the service has helped her become more independent, more confident with technology and better connected to opportunities within her local community.
Case Study 2: Supporting Independence Through Accessible Technology
Background
O lives in the Redvales area of Bury and was referred to Circle's Digital Home Visits service by Bury Blind Society. O is visually impaired and wanted support to make better use of technology as her sight deteriorates, helping her to remain independent and connected to the people and community around her.
The home visit was delivered with support from one of Circle's Digital Champion volunteers, who joined the service through the Bury Council Digital Buddy recruitment scheme.
Challenges
O uses a range of technology, including an iPhone, iPad, Synapptic phone and Amazon Alexa. However, her visual impairment was making it increasingly difficult to navigate and use her devices independently.
She wanted to improve her knowledge and confidence using her existing technology and explore accessibility features that could support her as her sight changes. She was also interested in assistive technology such as Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses.
O had also begun to lose access to activities she previously enjoyed. In particular, she missed doing crosswords because her deteriorating vision had made traditional versions increasingly difficult to use.
Support Provided
During the home visit, we reviewed O's iPhone and iPad and adjusted the accessibility settings to improve visibility and make the devices easier for her to use.
Speech functionality was set up so that O can have her emails read aloud, reducing her reliance on being able to read text on the screen. We also showed her how to use Siri to make FaceTime calls, allowing her to contact friends and family more independently.
Old emails, messages and voicemails were cleared and storage space was freed up on both devices to help them continue to work effectively.
We also installed two crossword apps on O's iPad, allowing her to use the larger screen and accessibility features to return to an activity she had been missing. Information and guidance were also provided around Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and their potential as an additional form of assistive technology.
Impact
The support provided O with practical ways to continue using digital technology despite her deteriorating sight. Making her devices more accessible has increased her ability to communicate independently, access information and carry out everyday digital activities.
Being able to use Siri and FaceTime more easily supports O to maintain contact with friends and family, helping to reduce social isolation. Improved access to her devices also gives her greater opportunity to engage with services, information and the wider community without having to rely as heavily on others.
Reintroducing an activity she enjoys also had an immediate impact on her quality of life. O was delighted to be able to access crosswords again through her iPad.
O was extremely positive about the visit and asked whether the support could be provided every week. Although the home visit service does not offer weekly appointments, she was reassured that she can contact Circle whenever further digital needs arise.
Outcomes
O's experience demonstrates the important role digital inclusion can play in supporting people in the community. Relatively simple adaptations and personalised one-to-one support can help remove barriers that might otherwise lead to increased dependence and isolation.
By helping O use technology in ways that work for her changing needs, the Digital Home Visits service is supporting her to retain independence, maintain social connections, continue activities she enjoys and participate more fully in her local community.
The involvement of a volunteer recruited by Circle through Bury Council's Digital Buddy scheme also demonstrates the value of partnership working in building local digital inclusion capacity and providing practical, person-centred support to Bury residents.
Overall Impact and Learning
These two case studies highlight the significant impact that personalised digital inclusion support can have when delivered in residents' homes.
Although M and O had very different circumstances, both faced barriers that prevented them from fully benefiting from digital technology. Through tailored one-to-one support, each was able to overcome challenges, increase their confidence, and achieve meaningful outcomes that extended beyond simply learning how to use a device.
The Digital Home Visits service demonstrates that:
- Home-based support reaches people who cannot access traditional group sessions.
- Personalised assistance enables residents to progress at their own pace.
- Digital inclusion contributes to improved independence, wellbeing and community connection.
- Volunteer Digital Buddies play a vital role in extending local digital inclusion capacity.
- Partnership working between community-based groups and local authorities can ensure can ensure expertise, resources and referral pathways are coordinated effectively to maximise impact for residents
- Small practical changes can deliver significant improvements in quality of life.
Together, these stories show that digital inclusion is not simply about technology. It is about enabling residents to manage their health, maintain relationships, pursue personal interests, access essential services and remain active participants in their communities. As more services become digital by default, home visits will continue to play an important role in digital barriers do not compound existing exclusion and thus ensure no resident is left behind.