SAFETY & SECURITY A Force for Good
How can technology enhance the lives of care home residents, especially from a safety point of view, asks Michael Hurt, Head of Memory Care at Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare.
As in other areas of society, technology continues to embed itself further within the day-to-day operations of care homes across the country. With this ever-increasing rate of technological innovation has brought demonstrable improvements to the physical and emotional wellbeing of residents and team members. While the introduction of new technologies into care homes should always be based on rigorous evidence, the need to explore how emerging technology can offer future improvements should also be recognised. Here, I explore some of the advancements which are already being rolled out across care homes, and investigate some of the more cutting- edge technologies which may soon become common-place.
At its core, our natural desire to develop innovative new technologies is driven by a belief that we can improve the way in which we interact with the world and one another. Yet pursuing this desire shouldn’t be seen as a matter reserved for a select few sectors, but encompass every industry, including the care home sector. Indeed, creative technologies have already shown a remarkable ability to not only improve the lives of residents, but help team members to provide them with high quality care.
IMPROVING SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY
The traditional approach of visiting residents’ rooms at set intervals during the night for example, can be effective, but too oſten issues can arise shortly aſter a visit, meaning that residents who need support may not receive it until the next round of visits. Responding to this issue, one of the most effective technological capabilities which is beginning to be implemented in care homes is the use of acoustic monitoring.
With the appropriate consents, these monitoring devices are installed in the rooms of residents to detect any abnormal sounds that indicate important disturbances, such as a fall. These unique devices are radically transforming the way in which care teams are checking-in with their residents by allowing them to have real-time insight into any issues which need rapid attention. Furthermore, these devices are also using artificial intelligence to filter out irrelevant background noises by learning to recognise the audio profile of each individual based on the sounds they make. This means that they can accurately alert care teams to unusual events, such as irregular movements or calling for help, improving the safety of residents.
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Early trials of acoustic monitoring with NHSx have demonstrated impressive results, such as reducing night-time falls by 55% and decreasing hospital admissions by 20%. By removing the need to regularly disturb residents with frequent checks, residents also benefit from improved sleep quality, resulting in numerous benefits to their overall mental health.
Equally, the added efficiency afforded to care teams means that the number of unnecessary physical checks during the night can be reduced by 75%. And, when these devices alert team members to instances that require additional care or hospitalisation, the rapid response helps to deliver better clinical outcomes for residents.
A TECHNOLOGICAL FUTURE
Although these and other technologies offer valuable additions to care homes, we should not ‘sail with the prevailing wind’ of technological innovation, and instead prioritise those technologies which offer demonstrable improvements to the livelihoods of residents and team members. What’s more, the use of technology should be approached as a method to increase independence among residents while enhancing the quality and efficiency of the work by all team members. Yet key innovations will not become a reality without a degree of managed positive risk taking. Where new and exciting capabilities do present themselves, the care home sector should investigate with curiosity, equipped with an enduring focus on improving the lives of those who live and work in this sector.
www.sunrise-care.co.uk/index.html www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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