TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE


THE INTELLIGENT CARE HOME


Liam Mynes, from Tork manufacturer Essity, looks at the various ways in which artificial intelligence is being used in the care home. He considers how technology can ease pressure on hard-pressed staff and improve the well-being of residents.


An AI-driven system that can identify when a resident is in pain is one of many artificial intelligence solutions currently being piloted in care homes.


PainChek uses facial recognition to analyse micro-expressions and detect any signs of discomfort in a resident who may not be able to communicate this for themselves.


Meanwhile, AI systems capable of detecting behavioural changes that could indicate the need for medical attention are also being trialled in some establishments. There are also sensors on the market that can detect falls and general distress on the part of the resident.


Robots, too, are increasingly being used in care homes to provide companionship. Earlier this year a Swiss robotics expert made headlines aſter creating a robot lookalike of herself to keep her mother company in a care home. Professor Nadia Thalmaan’s AI- powered Nadia robot can recall people’s faces, retain information and initiate conversations.


AI-powered cleaning robots are also increasingly being used in homes to improve sanitation and infection control. These are able to take on the more difficult cleaning tasks, freeing up staff for detailed work.


Smart solutions in general are helping to liberate staff from time-consuming tasks and relieve the strain of staff shortages. For example, Tork Vision Cleaning uses people-counters and connected dispensers to provide real-time data on cleaning requirements. This allows care teams to stay ahead of the game and use a smartphone, tablet or computer to remotely check on which dispensers are running low and which washrooms are receiving high levels of traffic. They can then anticipate situations in which enhanced cleaning or extra checks might be required.


Good training is vital to ensure that care home staff and cleaners understand the importance of proper cleaning and hygiene. Research from Essity reveals that 58% of care home cleaning staff say they find it challenging to follow all the required steps and tasks in cleaning guidelines and 68% claim they would like to receive better and more interactive hand hygiene training.


Essity offers two free online training solutions for care home staff. Tork Cleaning Training for Long Term Care Homes provides employees with 'real world' cleaning scenarios in a safe virtual world. The training has been developed in collaboration with the Association for Healthcare Environment and can be customised to fit with local cleaning guidelines.


The second module, Tork Clean Hands Training for Long Term Care Homes, equips staff members with the day-to-day skills they require to secure hand hygiene at every moment. It has been


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developed with leading hygiene experts using the WHO My Four Moments for Hand Hygiene in a residential home environment. This is available both online and in a virtual reality format.


It is taking a while for artificial intelligence to catch on in the care sector. A report out last year revealed that 73% of UK healthcare professionals had never used an AI system, with 62% of operatives resisting the adoption of artificial intelligence solutions for fear of errors.


However, many facilities now understand that technology in general can improve efficiency – particularly as far as cleaning is concerned. For example, the Royal Surrey NHS Trust has a robot cleaner to take on the heavy work while humans concentrate on critical areas for infection transmission such as handrails, door handles, liſts and doors to wards.


And Chloe the floor-cleaning robot is proving to be a big success at Stoke Mandeville Hospital where its expressive face and humorous banter are making it a particular hit on the children’s ward.


AI will continue to drive technological changes in the care home in the future – and these will no doubt further improve outcomes while also freeing up staff to spend more quality time with residents.


www.tork.co.uk www.tomorrowscare.co.uk


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