Hospitals

Bed sensors, virtual pets and 3 other innovations for the nursing home

It’s no secret that most seniors today prefer to “age in place” — and healthcare […]

It’s no secret that most seniors today prefer to “age in place” — and healthcare innovators hear that loud and clear.

But despite patients’ preferences, chronic illnesses that cause many seniors to require care that’s difficult to provide at home aren’t going away any time soon. Nursing homes and assisted-living facilities face unique challenges in the wake of cuts to funding and reimbursement, and a growing elderly population, and some innovators have them in mind, too.

Here are a few useful innovations that elder-care facilities should know about.

HEAL iPad app: Designed to make patient handoffs more efficient, this app allows nurses to manage their patient load and share notes with other nurses digitally. At the end of her shift, a nurse uses the app to “sign off” her patients to the incoming nurse, who is prompted to accept them when she logs in and begins her shift. When she accepts the patients, the outgoing nurse is notified with a text message. The incoming nurse now has access to all of the notes previously made about patients, with the most recently edited patient records appearing at the top of the screen.

Touch-free Life Care System: BAM Labs has developed a sensor mat that’s placed under the mattress of any type of bed to turn it into a smart bed — one that enables caretakers to track a patient’s movement, heart rate, sleep activity and respiration remotely. Using a network device that connects the sensor to local Wi-Fi, the system transmits data to a mobile device to help caretakers manage and prevent pressure sores and falls in patients, and keep up with documentation.

GeriJoy: With elements of gaming, social sharing and information technology, this startup has created Buddy, a virtual companion for the elderly. Backed by human intelligence enabled through an Internet connection, Buddy can read out news, weather or tweets from family members and talk back to users when prompted. The program is designed to work on a tablet and mimic the intellectual and emotional benefits of having a pet.

Insta Compounding System: Being developed by Patients’ & Consumers’ Pharma, this technology would be used by healthcare professions to convert commercial tablets and capsules into custom-flavored liquid medications for patients with difficulty swallowing pills. That patient population includes the elderly and patients with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Using a wet milling process, the system converts medicines into uniform textured liquids.

Connected for Life: The Research Triangle Park health IT firm Family Health Network eases seniors into computer technology while connecting patients with caregivers, family members and healthcare professionals so that they can all share important health information and encourage patients to remain engaged in their care. It’s intended for independent seniors, but may also be useful in assisted-living settings.

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