Technology enhances caring for the elderly

The elderly are beginning to benefit enormously from advances in technology. A range of high tech-devices are now accessible to them in meeting their pressing medical needs aided by common sense approaches. Adult children are in a better position to look after their ageing parents.

Technology had augmented ways to provide urgent medical assistance, routine check-ups, and the management of medications to avoid overdose or non adherence and other serious matters. Those living alone are benefitting immensely.

Adult children are able to routinely provide camcorders in parents’ homes to monitor and act quickly when unforeseen accidents like fainting, falls and even sudden strokes occur where parents live by themselves.

Technology also facilitates the monitoring of a sick parent-blood pressure, temperature, pulse, weight etc-by using tech-driven devices at home frequently or as needed.

The children have access to all the basic data instantly. That screening is now becoming very common in many homes. For children living away from the parents it is a source of comfort to know that they are cared for timely. The passage from middle age to post retirement is promising to be a bright one for the elderly.

Medication management

A simplified medication management (SMM) is being popularized to avert the instances of drug related mishaps. Technology has come up with prudent pill organizer methods designed to streamline the process. Those on multiple medications are a legion now. SMM has proved to be a godsend.

SMM could be beneficial to anyone who is taking multiple medications several times each day. Caregivers, doctors, hospitals and insurance companies all are aware of the problem, especially among the older population and those with chronic illnesses.

Technology has produced the most effective and affordable solution available to enhance medication adherence by ageing parents. This alone is major advancement worth pursuing. The ideal level of caring is to incorporate a sense of comfort and companionship into whatever system you are following.

The startling statistics from the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine show that in the US there are more than two million serious adverse drug mishaps and about 100,000 deaths annually due to medication mishaps-either through non-adherence or overdoze.

Medication non-adherence is responsible for up to 69 percent of prescription drug-related hospital admissions and 23 percent of nursing home admissions in the US. Not only is this a health concern, but a financial one as well. The New England Healthcare Institute in the US has estimated that $290 billion of healthcare expenditures could be avoided with improvements to medication adherence.

Monitoring sensors

Remote controlled monitoring sensors are now used routinely to track elderly homes to report whether they had meals on time, took their pills, went for a walk and how long they had been sleeping, what time they plugged in the coffee pot or whether they were cooking.

The precise information could be transmitted via the Internet to the children who could review them and take remedial action if needed. The technology is used frequently by doctors to avoid frequent and time-consuming visits to clinics.

There is range of wireless monitoring systems available like Med-minder, Grand-care, and iReminder to choose from to guarantee that these sensors keep a vigil even better than an in-house nurse who might dose off on the job.

It is possible to know whether a parent had taken a meal by the length of times the refrigerator door had been opened— for more than a few seconds. The times the medicine cabinet opened are indications that the prescribed pills had been taken. An alarm could also be incorporated into the sensor.

The monitoring systems bring good care to parents’ homes; a goal cherished by all children as emotionally and financially desirable rather than look for senior centres.

Sensors are a state of the art “watch.” That ensures peace of mind for the children who are not able to be there either due to work-related or other reasons is.

The monitoring systems in place are generally introduced after a good discussion and as agreed to by the parents-a comfort zone enhancing a respected relationship between parents and children as loving partners.

Inherent pitfalls are avoided that way and parents’ privacy enhanced.

Tech devices are introduced judiciously and caringly avoiding any sense of being hurried. The monitored data are also viewed in a professional manner not causing unnecessary alarms.

All steps are taken to see that the monitoring devices are a path towards better care and not intruding tech-nannies in the shape of cameras.

Starting a care system

The care systems are thought of prior to the parents reaching advanced age, at a time when there are no major health issues to deal with, the ideal psychological climate for a good decision. Ample time would be provided for parents to feel comfortable with the technology.

Technology no doubt has enhanced the ability of adult children to be good healthcare givers for parents. The roles are reversed: the parents were the ones who kept tabs on children lovingly all their lives.