TECHNOLOGY INTELLIGENT CARE
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in the care sector to monitor residents’ health and to prevent falls and emergency call-outs. Does this mean AI is the future of care homes? And, if so, how far can it also be used to aid cleaning? Liam Mynes from Tork manufacturer Essity discusses the issue.
The number of falls and ambulance callouts was dramatically reduced this spring aſter a trial of AI sensors was implemented in Dorset.
Six care homes across the county took part in a pilot scheme that used AI to monitor sound and movement in residents’ rooms.
Any changes in motion or noise levels during the night were picked up by the sensors and an alert was then sent to staff via handheld devices. The trial resulted in a 66% reduction in ambulance callouts plus an 80% drop in hospital transfers.
In May this year, a significant reduction in falls was also recorded aſter a group of Lancashire care homes introduced AI-enabled smart lighting technology.
Smart lamps in the home were programmed to automatically switch on whenever a resident rose in the night. The system resulted in faster staff response times, a drop in emergency callouts and 32% fewer falls.
The Paro robot – which takes the form of a fluffy seal – has been developed as a companion to lonely care home residents. A robot developed at Trinity College Dublin – Stevie II – uses advanced sensing technologies, laser rangefinders, depth cameras and vision sensors to interact intelligently with care home residents. And the humanoid Abi robot can recognise faces, engage residents in conversation and adapt its personality to suit the individual. It can also initiate sing-songs and dance parties.
One area in which AI is proving particularly useful is in the cleaning sector. Automated systems can now take on the heaviest cleaning tasks, freeing up staff to tackle more detailed work.
For example, a team of robotic vacuum cleaners was deployed in a government-funded trial in 25 UK care homes during the Covid pandemic. Pathogen levels dropped by an average of 41% in just three days aſter implementation of the trial, which also incorporated ATP testing and antiviral surface cleaning.
“An increasing number of residents now wear devices that continuously check residents’ blood pressure and bloodsugar levels.”
AI is playing a valuable role in helping to keep residents safe. But it can also be used to monitor their health and improve their quality of life.
For example, an increasing number of residents now wear devices that continuously check residents’ blood pressure and blood sugar levels, for example. Other wearables provide medication information and remind people when to take it.
Remote monitoring systems are also being used to allow staff members to check on residents during the night while allowing them to sleep undisturbed. Some care homes are also using a PainChek app which can tell when non-verbal residents are experiencing discomfort.
AI is also increasingly appearing in care homes in the form of robots. These can help to take the physical strain away from staff members and free up more of their time to carry out other tasks.
For example, the ‘Hug’ robot has been designed to help residents to get up from chairs and move them from A to B, relieving staff members of much of the heavy liſting that can lead to back strains and other injuries.
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www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
Cleaning staff shortages have been a major problem in care homes since the pandemic when the stress of the job caused many people to leave. Technological solutions can help to plug the staffing gap and make it easier for team members to run a home more efficiently.
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