- Can't understand how they did it before
Technology is transforming health and care. This will increasingly affect healthcare professionals, patients and relatives in the time to come, but there are still gaps in knowledge.
- I don't understand how they did it before, because this is such a big help, says Anders Grebstad, a healthcare professional at Sykkylven Bu- og aktivitetssenter.
He points to a safety sensor hanging from the ceiling in a corner of one of the residents' rooms. Grebstad works in a closed ward, with elderly people who have dementia.The sensor picks up infrared light, or heat radiation, and can send out anonymized images of the situation in a room. In this way, it can alert healthcare professionals if, for example, the resident has fallen on the floor, spent an alarmingly long time in the bathroom at night, or is abnormally quiet in bed.
- The technology means that we spend less time running between rooms all the time to check. This gives us greater capacity and the opportunity to spend more time on human contact, says Grebstad.
More safety
While he's explaining, he happens to get an alarm on his service phone. It only takes a couple of seconds to check, and there doesn't seem to be any need to make a run for it. The image he gets shows a very rough, red outline of a figure in a chair.- It's not possible to see who this is, and the images are not stored in the sensor. It just stands and looks for possible dangerous situations and sends out alerts, says Grebstad.
He emphasizes that this first and foremost provides more security for the patients. Those working on the ward are able to react very quickly when something happens.
At night, it also leads to less anxiety, because the staff do not have to risk waking the patients when they have to go in to see if everything is okay. The sensor can be set to send out alerts when the patient gets out of bed.
In the department, Grebstad has become a resource person for technological solutions that need to be set up or tested.
- I'm technically interested and self-taught, he says.
The ward has also tested mats under the mattress that register when the patient sits up or stands up, in addition to pulse and breathing rate.
Longer at home
The home care service in the municipality uses other solutions that alert the service phones of those on duty - and possibly relatives.Safety alarms, GPS, door sensors and medicine dispensers are all in use.
- Door alarms and GPS are a very useful aid for those who might decide to go out, says Linda Tryggestad Søvik, department manager at Heimetenestene in Sykkylven.
This means that users can continue to go out for walks, and relatives can feel confident that they know where they are, while staff do not have to be present to keep an eye on them.
Necessary
Søvik says that there have been no separate projects for restructuring or reorganization in the municipality in the wake of new technology.- We're taking it slowly, she says.
She goes on to say that the technology has meant that users of the home care service do not need as frequent supervision, but the municipality does not have statistics on this.
- In my experience, users, especially those with dementia, can live at home for longer. This is a benefit in itself, and both patients and relatives are positive, says Søvik.
She also finds that those who work in home care services are positive.
- I think most of them find this exciting and understand that it's necessary. On the other hand, these are new things we have to learn, and perhaps another app to keep an eye on. It's not always easy to see the benefits far into the future, says Søvik.
– Means everything
Without door alarms and GPS watches, the couple wouldn't be where they are now, says a 67-year-old woman in Sykkylven.- For us, this means everything.
She lives at home with a 73-year-old man with dementia, who likes to go out for a walk at night. She wishes to remain anonymous to protect her husband's privacy.
- I couldn't have slept without the alert. He's very fit and walks fast. Without the technology, he would probably have had to be in a sheltered ward, says the woman.
At home, they have alarms on all exterior doors, and the alarm center is a small gadget she can take with her that alerts her with sound and information about which door is being opened. Then she knows where to run.
- The fact that he can live at home for longer is great for us. I want him to live at home for as long as we can both manage it. It's also a great benefit to society, says the 67-year-old woman.
Must prepare
Sociologist and professor Monika Knudsen Gullslett at the Norwegian Centre for E-health Research emphasizes that we must have health and welfare technology. This means that healthcare professionals, patients and relatives must be prepared for this.- If the technology is used correctly, it will help us achieve better health and care services.
To do this, we must consider the needs of society, the health service and users.
- In principle, technology can be used by all possible groups with one or other need for help, so good choices must be made. Decision-makers need to be made aware of how the use of technology affects society, she says.
Common understanding
Government, research and business must work together with users to ensure a common understanding of when and how technology should be used, she emphasizes.- This requires adequate training and good assessments of the needs of each individual user. What needs must be met in order for the healthcare to be appropriate? What other needs can possibly be met?” says Gullslett.
She believes that technology will lead to major changes in health and care over the next 5-10 years.
In the PROTECT network project, Nordic researchers in the field have come together to promote and unite Nordic research-based knowledge about health and welfare technology. You can read some of their specific advice in the two fact boxes in this article.