Tech to the Rescue of Social Care?

Australia, like many developed nations, has a growing aged population. This puts a strain on the healthcare system, particularly aged care facilities.  

The NSSN Ageing Taskforce recently gathered at UTS in Sydney to review the future of digital innovation in healthcare for NSW’s ageing community. 

The taskforce brings together experts from various backgrounds, including universities, research institutions, healthcare organisations, and support providers. Their mission is to leverage technology to improve the lives and well-being of ageing people in New South Wales.

Many of the assistive technologies being developed for aged care can be harnessed to positive effect in the disability support space. Subsequently, United for Care is actively involved in some of the taskforce’s most innovative projects.  

The taskforce meeting included discussions about our innovative care models and partnerships with hospitals, aimed at freeing up beds and providing improved care for non-acute patients.    

United for Care’s vertical village care model has successfully delivered strong patient outcomes across several cohorts and is currently piloting a throughcare model aimed at freeing up hospital beds for patients without acute care needs.

Furthermore, United for Care aim to lead the way with cutting-edge tech applications that enhance the lives of our participants, while also improving social care services more broadly.

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Why is Technology Needed?

The current aged care and disability support system faces significant challenges. Staff shortages and a growing number of people requiring support make it difficult to provide adequate services.  

Additionally, many people want to stay at home in a familiar and comfortable environment for as long as possible. Currently they lack the level of support needed to do so safely.  

The taskforce meeting discussed how to support our ageing citizens with sensors, artificial intelligence (AI) and telehealth platforms to augment the care workforce. This progress is essential if we want to solve the aged care crisis and provide more effective social care across the board.  

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Sensor Power: Keeping People Safe at Home

One of the biggest innovations on the taskforce’s agenda is the development of a "sensor-driven care ecosystem." This would involve having sensors in a home that monitor vitals like heart rate and blood pressure. This data can be used to predict potential health issues as swiftly as possible, reducing the likelihood of hospital admissions.

Professor Paul Egglestone from the University of Newcastle describes the Healthy@Home program, which utilises this predictive technology to increase early intervention with common health hazards.  

The Healthy@Home program aims to enhance the experience of people receiving care at home by providing proactive responses to health issues and an all-important sense of security. Naturally, the technologies being developed by Healthy@Home have a strong use-case in the In-Home Care sector, giving participants peace of mind that help will be available when it’s critically needed.  

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AI for a Smarter Healthcare System

Artificial intelligence (AI) is another promising avenue. Companies like My Medic Watch are developing AI that can predict falls, a major concern for people living in care environments.

United for Care has joined forces with My Medic Watch, whose technology fuses sensors with AI, offering immediate fall and seisure detection for people living with disabilities.  

My Medic Watch leverages smartwatch sensors and their own patented algorithm to identify health hazards as they happen. The smartwatch's GPS then transmits the watch wearer's location, triggering an instant alert for a designated support worker or caregiver.  

Helene Blanchard from My Medic Watch highlights the potential of AI to not only improve monitoring but also enhance diagnostic accuracy, treatment plans, and drug discovery.  

Ms. Blanchard emphasises the urgency of innovation, stating: "(AI) is going to change everything at a faster pace, which is what we need now because a large population is getting older by the minute."

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Putting People First

Technology is a powerful tool in the aged care and disability support sectors, but it should not come at the expense of individual needs and preferences.  

Karim Amin, CEO of CARED, says “Technology should be first and foremost an enabler to connect people... we have a huge workforce shortage across every sector. If we can deliver care remotely, we can make the existing workforce go much further and potentially leverage a dormant workforce that may not be able to work in person for whatever reason”. CARED is aiming to provide Australians with access to carers, allied health and primary health practitioners at the tap of a button both in-person and via telehealth.

Janet McDonald AO, an advocate for older adults, emphasises the importance of respecting individuality. Ms. McDonald says: "We just have to remember that everyone is an individual and everyone has different needs… we’re all very intelligent people who’ve lived a good life and we don’t want to be patronised." She emphasises that, in terms of service delivery, technology should empower and not replace human interaction.  

The same consideration applies to disability support, with Supported Independent Living and In-Home Care built on the principle of participants receiving customised person-to-person support. Even the most intelligent tech should never replace support workers and the person-centric service they offer participants.  

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Collaboration and Evidence Are Key

Professor Chris White underscores the importance of collaborating with the people who will depend on these technologies. He suggests involving the community in identifying problems and developing solutions: "Start with the problems the community want you to solve…with good consumer engagement they will tell you the problems they want to solve first. We’ve heard they want to stay at home."  

In the same vein, Professor White also says it’s critical to involve healthcare professionals from various sectors, such as GPs and support and care workers, to ensure the tech aligns with the challenges dealt with in the field.  

Ultimately, there’s a need for an evidence-based approach. Two projects are currently gathering the data needed to ensure effective outcomes:

• Understanding Reception of Care Technology for Healthy Ageing at Home: This project investigates how comfortable people are with using technology like sensors and robots in their homes.

• Meaningful Measures in the Home: This project aims to identify a set of key health measurements that can be monitored remotely to provide a comprehensive picture of a person's well-being.

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Looking Forward

The taskforce is optimistic about the future of social care in Australia. Professor White says they envision a sustainable funding model, inspired by the success of the Cancer Institute. Early detection programs implemented by the Cancer Institute have significantly improved cancer survival rates.  

The NSSN is committed to ongoing research and collaboration. The 3rd Ageing Forum at NSW Parliament House in Sydney this November promises to be a platform for further discussions and advancements in this critical field.

Simultaneously, United for Care will continue to be a point of connection for universities, healthcare organisations, and research institutions who share our vision of using tech to solve ongoing issues in social care service delivery.

If you want to find out more about how United for Care is using the latest tech to improve the well-being and independence of our participants, talk to one of our experts today:

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