Nadège Messier
Written by Nadege Messier, Grand App AI Australia / New Zealand
and Published on ARIIA’s website (Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia – Australian Government department promoting Innovation in Aged Care) :
Nowadays, new technologies are being integrated into the aged care sector. These systems are becoming part of the ‘Age-Tech’ and offer numerous benefits for older people, caregivers and families in their day-to-day lives.
New technologies provide real-time monitoring of vital signs, activity levels, and behavioural or environmental conditions, allowing caregivers and family members to respond promptly to emergencies such as falls, health crises, or accidents. These same remote care systems are now considered critical in improving an older person’s safety whilst reassuring their caregivers and families.
Prevention of risks within the home setting can now be calculated using a range of sensors and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm. Families who live away from their older relatives or older people who prefer to age in place rather than moving to assisted living facilities or move closer to their family which would take them away from their preferred environment, especially benefit from remote sensor technologies.
Many monitoring technologies include features to support communication between older persons, carers, healthcare providers and even families. These functions can facilitate collaboration, coordination of care, and timely communication of important information.
By using monitoring technologies, seniors can maintain a greater level of independence and be healthy for longer while still receiving support and assistance as needed and according to the changes in their fitness levels.
As children, nieces, nephews, and siblings, we all want our loved ones, our older people, to age well and be happy. We can acknowledge that changes in health conditions are a natural part of aging. Continuous monitoring enables the early detection of health issues or behavioural changes, allows timely intervention and treatment and can improve general health outcomes and support wellbeing.
Additionally, these systems collect valuable data, which can be used to create customised care plans tailored to each older person’s needs. An individualised plan ensures that each person receives the right care and support, optimising their overall health and quality of life. The data collected by these monitoring technologies can provide valuable insights into the seniors’ health trends and patterns over time. This information can also guide data-driven decision-making regarding their care, lifestyle modifications, and treatment plans.
Financially automated monitoring systems can streamline caregiving tasks, saving the effort of carers, seniors and families, increasing efficiencies and saving time for everyone involved. More than anything, it allows carers to focus on providing quality care and spending meaningful time with their older clients and residents. In addition, by helping prevent emergencies and hospitalisations, monitoring technologies can reduce healthcare costs for individuals and their families. Although it can appear expensive to set up initially, these can still potentially represent long-term savings for the older person and the health system.
Overall, new monitoring technologies empower seniors to age in place safely and comfortably while providing invaluable support to caregivers and peace of mind to families.
*The views and opinions expressed in Knowledge Blogs are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of ARIIA, Flinders University and/or the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
