News


Blackwood Homes And Care to trial remote robots to assess residents


Scottish provider Blackwood Homes and Care is to trial the use of a remotely- operated robot to give check-ups to care home residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions. The pilot will use technology pioneered


by The National Robotarium at Heriot- Watt University in Edinburgh and uses machine learning and tele-presence robotic technology to allow doctors to remotely assess a person’s physical and cognitive health from anywhere in the world. Toyota’s Human Support Robot will


be used by the researchers alongside commercially available tele-presence robots. Heriot-Watt University says combining the


system with a tele-presence robot brings two major advances. Firstly, robots can be equipped with


powerful sensors and can also operate in a semi-autonomous mode, enriching the capability of the system to deliver quality data, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Secondly, tele-presence robots keep


clinicians and carers in the loop. These professionals can benefit from the data provided by the project’s intelligent sensing system, but they can also control the robot directly, over the internet, to interact with the individual under their care. They can see through the eyes of the


robot, move around the room or between rooms and operate its arms and hands to carry out more complex assessment


Social Care Day Of Remembrance And Reflection launched


Social care bodies across England have joined together to launch Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection honouring the work and lives of the adult social care workforce during the pandemic. A total of 21 organisations have come


protocols. They can also respond to emergencies and provide assistance when needed. National Robotarium project lead


Dr. Mauro Dragone (pictured) said: “Our prototype makes use of machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to monitor smart home sensors to detect and analyse daily activities. We are programming the system to use this information to carry out a thorough, non-intrusive assessment of an older person’s cognitive abilities, as well as their ability to live independently.” Blackwood Homes and Care, which will


use a robot embedded in the company’s care facilities, said robotics have the potential to improve independent living, provide new levels of support and integrate with its digital housing and care system CleverCogs. “Our partnership with the National


Robotarium and the design of the assisted living lab ensures that our customers are involved in the co-design and co-creation of new products and services,” added Blackwood head of innovation Colin Foskett.


together to launch the memorial day being held in March 2022. An estimated 922 social care workers in England lost their lives between March 2020 and May 2021. A Memorial Wall and Thank You


Wall have been launched on The Care Workers’ Charity website where people can share tributes to care workers lost during the pandemic and say thank you to those who provided vital support. Those behind the Social Care Day of


Remembrance and Reflection request people to add their stories to the walls in the lead up to the day in March. Other ways in which care providers,


care workers, those who draw on care and support, and any other individual can participate on the day include planting a tree in honour of a lost care worker, having a minute’s silence, or creating a piece of art. Further information on events that


will take place on the day and how to get involved can be found on The Care Workers’ Charity website and will continue to be announced in the lead up to March.


QCS launches Dementia Centre to support best practice


Social care guidance provider Quality Compliance Systems (QCS) has launched the Dementia Centre software package that offers comprehensive condition-specific support. Led by Jackie Pool, the Dementia Centre


incorporates QCS PAL Instrument, a real- world tool that guides care professionals to deliver support at the level of dementia that a person is living with. By using the QCS PAL Instrument as a


scaffold, the Dementia Centre will help care professionals support the cognitive needs and abilities of each individual. “What separates the Dementia Centre


from other resources is that it fuses generic guidance, regulatory compliance requirements and the work of world-


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renowned experts into one single resource,” said Pool. “This enables care professionals to move


from a purely paper-based environment to a real-world one, which combines the latest compliance with QCS PAL-centric dementia best practice,” she added. Pool continued: “The result is ‘purposeful


practice’ which has been designed specifically to help those who support people with dementia to deliberately focus on aspects of their care and support in order to become more competent and effective. The resource is ground-breaking in that it also provides measures that service providers can use to benchmark and develop team member’s care practices.” The Dementia Centre contains a raft of


resources, including up-to-date policies and procedures, assessment and outcome measures, case studies, the work of inspirational authors, which together ensure that the Dementia Centre delivers hands-on guidance to providers. “While providing the latest compliance


to our customers will remain a central focus, care providers have been telling us for some time that they also want cutting-edge practical content that they can seamlessly apply to real-world situations,” said QCS chief executive Nikki Walker. “The QCS Dementia Centre delivers this


while at the same time supporting our goal of delivering transformative solutions for all those dedicated to providing great care,” she added.


www.thecarehomeenvironment.com • October 2021


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