Lewis CaliburnLG Electronics (LG) has partnered with Care Messenger, the creator of Chatta TV video call and messaging platform, to improve communication and wellbeing for elderly residents across South Lanarkshire Council’s care homes in Scotland.
It marks the first time a UK council has deployed LG Care Messenger across its care homes and is designed to tackle digital exclusion among vulnerable groups. The platform allows residents to stay connected with loved ones and carers using the technology most familiar to them – the television or display in their rooms.
Care Messenger is built into LG’s Pro:Centric displays, where messages, photos and video calls appear directly over live TV, without the need to change inputs or channels or even open a separate app.
Families can send updates through the Chatta mobile app in real time, while residents can reply easily using their remote control – including through simple multiple-choice responses, or receive urgent alerts when needed. Carers and healthcare providers can also communicate with residents via Care Messenger’s secure management portal. The system also has an automated ‘photo carousel’ and digital clock option to support residents with early onset of dementia.
Professor Soumen Sengupta, Chief Officer of South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, says “What sets this project apart is not simply its use of digital tools – but the way it prioritises familiarity, accessibility and dignity. Rather than expecting residents to adapt to technology, the team adapted technology to the needs and habits of residents. This small shift has made a big difference.”
This easy and intuitive format is revolutionary for elderly residents, a demographic that has traditionally been marginalised by digital advances and who struggle with smartphones or tablets. According to South Lanarkshire Council’s health and social care partnerships this group represents around 94% of people in care homes. Many older users find touchscreens difficult due to eyesight or coordination challenges and prefer familiar technology like a TV and remote control.
The rollout, supported through the Glasgow City Region 5G Innovation Award, marks a rare full deployment in social care, rather than a pilot. South Lanarkshire Council has now installed LG Care Messenger in every room across all its council-run care homes, after being praised for its simplicity and positive impact on residents’ wellbeing. The flagship care home David Walker Gardens has also been nominated for an award in the Scottish Health Awards 2025 for Chatta’s transformative impact on mental health in social care.
Paul Slaughter, Chief Executive of Care Messenger, says, “Care Messenger’s Chatta TV is a unique way of allowing families and healthcare professionals to message and video call an elderly population that struggles with smartphones and tablets, but is familiar and comfortable with the TV. The system is making a dramatic difference to a vulnerable and growing social group, who would otherwise be digitally and socially excluded.
“We are delighted to be a development partner with LG on this solution and foresee the demand for LG Chatta TV transforming the landscape of care support in the UK, Europe and beyond.”
Ian Tolfree, Sales Manager at LG, adds “The rollout in South Lanarkshire shows what’s possible when technology is designed around people. Working closely with Care Messenger and South Lanarkshire Council, we’ve been able to understand the needs of residents and carers and tailor our Pro Centric platform to meet them. It’s exciting to see our technology being used in social care for the first time at this scale, creating new ways to connect and communicate. We look forward to continuing this partnership and exploring how it can support even more care environments in the future.”
Sengupta continues, “I want to pay tribute to our external technology partners whose expertise and innovation have been vital in making this project a reality. Their commitment to collaboration has ensured that we are not only introducing new technology but truly transforming how care is delivered and experienced”.
Following the successful rollout in South Lanarkshire, other Scottish councils have already visited the flagship site to evaluate the system for wider adoption; Chatta has been approved to be installed in every apartment in a new build Care Village in Tweedbank and a similar rollout programme in the Netherlands is scheduled to begin end of 2025.