Increased social income dependent on earlier access to & greater progress on the jobs market
The benefit in terms of social economy consists of the boost to production resulting from more people being able to access the world of employment and doing so earlier, and also greater progress on the jobs market. According to the studies, it has been found that the costs to society of “delayed access” or lack of success on the jobs market are significantly greater than the cost of providing a person with a cognitive disability with appropriate electronic aids.
Dahlberg’s report presents estimates of the average expected socio-economic value of the boost to production resulting from the introduction of cognitive tools. The increased value of production has been estimated at SEK 13,200 per user per year, comprising SEK 6,900 per year per user on the open jobs market and SEK 6,300 per year per user for specially supported jobs.
Another study investigated the consequences of offering technical tools to pupils with cognitive disabilities as support in school. According to the estimates presented in the study, reducing the time taken to enter the jobs market from five to two years would result in socio-economic gains of a little over SEK 1.3 million per pupil.
Improved social income due to reduced need for support from family members
Overall cost-benefit assessment for the social economy should also include any increased production value resulting from a reduced need for support for users from family members. Family members are estimated to spend 1-10 hours providing support for users. The total time saved by family members resulting from a reduced need for their support, and as a result, reduced travel time, has been very conservatively estimated at 1 hour a week. The socio-economic value of these time-savings then is SEK 4,000 per family member per year.
Abilia products
MEMOday, MEMOmessanger, MEMOdayplanner, MEMOplanner, Handi, Night-and Day Calendar, MEMO Timer.
Sources
The findings are based on 4 research studies involving 447 participants, students, adults with cognitive disabilities, experts, pedagogues and clinical staff.
Alwin 2008, Dahlberg 2010, Nilsson Lundmark 2013, Lindstedt 2013 and Pettersson 2008
