Digital twin improves support in home care

Published: 10 March 2026

Reading time: 4 minutes

Around 150,000 people in Sweden receive home care services, and for many, this support is crucial for being able to continue living at home. But the home care system’s picture of everyday life is often based on brief visits, while most of life unfolds in between them. Researchers are now exploring whether a digital twin of the home care recipient could provide a more accurate picture of life at home — and thereby make support more precise.

Older woman and younger man out on a walk.

Digital twins are already used in industry, where digital copies of, for example, aircraft engines or factories make it possible to monitor operations, detect problems, and test different scenarios before anything happens in reality. In home care, however, the technology instead represents a virtual model of a person, the home environment, and the care services provided.

— By collecting and compiling information over time, the model can reveal patterns in everyday life and detect changes, explains Sandra Saade, PhD student at the School of Health and Welfare at Dalarna University and one of the participants in the project, which is funded by Forte.

Creating more precise support

Home care services are often planned according to fixed schedules, which do not always reflect how everyday life actually looks. At the same time, an average care recipient meets more than 15 different home care staff members over a two-week period, which can make it difficult to create continuity and fully understand the individual’s real needs.

— With a digital twin that is continuously updated, it becomes possible to gain a clearer picture of a person’s actual routines and needs, Sandra says.

For example, the technology can show if someone is moving less than usual, sleeping poorly, or changing their daily habits. This can provide early signals that something is changing and make it possible to introduce support in time.

— If you see that a person has been awake a lot during the night, for example, the home care visit could be scheduled later so their sleep is not disturbed. That can make a big difference in everyday life.

Developed together with users and staff

The project is based on co-creation. Rather than starting from a ready-made technological solution, the researchers wanted to understand how the technology could actually be used in home care.

Older people receiving home care and staff from two municipalities therefore participated in interviews and focus groups. The older participants could choose the format that suited them best.

The discussions showed that many found it difficult to imagine how a digital twin would work in practice. The concept felt abstract and knowledge of the technology was often limited. At the same time, it raised questions about surveillance, privacy, and who would have access to the data collected.

However, the discussions also showed an interest in what the technology might contribute.

— Several participants felt it could be valuable to make everyday patterns visible. For example, it could help people change habits for the better or make it possible to quickly detect when something acute happens in the home, Sandra says.

These insights have since formed the basis for decisions about what type of data the digital twin models should be built on.

If you see that a person has been awake a lot during the night, for example, the home care visit could be scheduled later so their sleep is not disturbed. That can make a big difference in everyday life.

Sandra Saade

PhD student at the School of Health and Welfare at Dalarna University

Support for the organisation

The technology could also contribute to better working conditions for staff.

— Staff can be better prepared before each visit and gain a clearer picture of the person’s situation. That can make visits both more efficient and less stressful, Sandra says.

Digital twins can also be used in planning and simulations — for example, to test new ways of working or to organise services more effectively.

At the same time, the technology raises important questions.

— For many people, digital twins are still a new and rather abstract concept. Both staff and people living at home have questions about how the technology works and what benefits it could bring.

For the technology to be used, a robust digital infrastructure is also required — one that protects data and safeguards personal privacy.

A possible part of the future of person-centered care

The researchers see digital twins as a potential piece of the puzzle in the transition towards more person-centred home care. The idea is not to replace human interactions, but to strengthen them.

By detecting changes earlier, support can be better adapted — and individuals can gain greater influence over their everyday lives.

— The key question is not only whether the technology works, but how it can be implemented in a way that strengthens both individual independence and staff working conditions, Sandra says.

The digital twin is now being further developed and is planned to be tested as a support tool in home care services during autumn 2026.

Data behind the digital twin

The digital twin is based on different types of sensor data that together can provide a picture of everyday life in the home. Examples of information collected include:

• which room in the home the person is in
• opening of the entrance door, bathroom door, and refrigerator door
• presence in bed and sleep status
• heart rate and number of steps
• temperature, humidity, and air pressure in the home
• GPS position from home care vehicles

Together, this information can reveal patterns in everyday life and detect changes over time.