Three Ways Home Technology is Revolutionising Elderly Care

While many elderly people need some kind of care, in-home care is an ongoing cost beyond the financial reach of a large proportion of people, and many elderly don’t yet require high-needs care. With an aging population in the United States, the number of elderly people is set to rise rapidly, and up to 90% of seniors prefer to remain in their own homes while receiving care.

Recent advancements in technology mean that patients can now be kept safe and stay in contact with their family while maintaining their independence; without expensive monthly bills.

Safety and Security

The use of heat and motion sensors can detect, for example, a stove left unattended, or a tap left running. Things like doors and windows can also be monitored, with the patient warned of an unlocked entrance to their home. Medication can also be monitored, with patients reminded to take the correct dosage at the right time of day.

Cameras can also monitor living spaces alert family members to unusual levels of activity or inactivity and provide early warning of a fall, which is the leading cause of injury among the elderly. To protect from falling on the stairs, you can get stairlifts installed for easy movement and peace of mind.

Other new home-care technologies include sensors embedded in the floor triggered by falls. Alarm devices are worn by home health-care patients which can either automatically or manually alert medical and emergency services.

Physiological Monitoring

Instead of home visits by a nurse or countless trips to a doctor, home-care patients can now monitor their own vital signs in the comfort of their own homes. Low-cost, portable devices can measure heart rate, blood pressure, and weight, and monitor the length and quality of sleep. Blood sugar readings can also be tracked at home with personal monitoring kits. Data can then be uploaded to the patient’s primary care physician and even give their family peace of mind. By using the correct software, care providers or medical staff can easily access essential medical records for their patients to ensure that they are okay being on their own at home or simply away from a full-time carer who can get in the way of them being comfortable. Furthermore, if you check out this software and other similar you will be able to see features that allow care providers to access vital information, they can contact both the patient and carers and rota them in order to ensure that the patient has some level of physical attention when they feel they need it. This reduces the need for staff to always be on call if they have a set rota and reduces the need for patient interaction so that they can get on with living their life.

Communication

Cell phones and computers are fantastic tools for elderly home-care patients to keep in touch with friends, family, and healthcare professionals. Several companies have developed an easy-to-use system to access television, music, the news, and family contacts through the Internet. Home-care patients can connect with loved ones both near and far. This has significant health benefits and helps them participate in new social groups online.

Many doctors are also happy to schedule digital appointments with patients through live video chatting and email. This can eliminate unnecessary time wasted in waiting rooms for minor ailments or ease the pain of routine testing. 

Home-care technology is like a caring stepping stone. It provides peace of mind to patients and their loved ones while preserving independence and dignity. Many Americans are underprepared for future aged care. It’s important to consider what kind of health care may be necessary for the future and plan ahead. Aged care providers such as Caring People Inc provide home care technology and software, so healthcare professionals and families are kept up-to-date with elderly patients. With such software available, there’s an at-home option for all levels of required care.

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