technology
At the touch of a button
How digital care technology can reduce falls and UTIs .
By Tammy Sherwood
Falls throughout aged care are a major concern worldwide , with an estimated one in two older people suffering a fall within the first 12 months of transferring to a residential care setting , and as many as 30 per cent of these sustaining a significant physical injury as a result .
Such alarming statistics have resulted in the development of several guidelines and evidence-based recommendations used as a supplementary resource for aged care homes to intervene and take action . At a strategic level , a falls prevention program requires meticulous planning , implementation and evaluation .
In Australia , The Australian Dietary Guidelines ( ADG ), are commonly used as a standardised framework ; this states that the recommended Adequate Intake ( AI ) for total water ( both fluids and food moisture ) and total fluid intake ( including food moisture ) for adults is 3.4 L for males , 2.8 L for females and 1.4 – 2.2 L for children / adolescents depending on age and gender . The AIs for total fluids are set at 2.6 L for adult males , 2.1 L for adult females , and 1.0 – 1.9 L for children / adolescents .
Amongst these evidence-based recommendations , promoting good hydration and nutrition in older adults has been statistically proven to increase resident wellbeing and improve overall quality of life . Indeed , older adults , through no fault of their own , often have a tendency to forget to drink , meaning more than half of aged care home
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residents do not have a safe swallowing mechanism , making them susceptible to decreased fluid intake .
These factors increase the risk of dehydration and UTIs , which can , in turn , lead to confusion , falls , acute kidney injury and hospital admission .
Until recently , practically all fall prevention strategies in aged care homes relied heavily on human intervention ; watching and assisting the vulnerable when they need to be mobile . Whether it ’ s a resident going to the toilet , entering the lounge area , or going outside for fresh air , aged care staff need to be vigilant and on guard at all times , which can be difficult , especially in large-scale environments and on 24 / 7 schedules .
Thankfully , there is now a vast array of technology at the fingertips of aged care providers throughout Australia , such as mobile clinical care systems , that can help reduce falls and UTIs amongst the elderly by up to 50 per cent – a revolutionary feat simply unachievable on such a scale before .
In fact , recent research by a team at Adelaide ’ s Flinders University discovered that mobile digital technology can significantly reduce the likelihood of falls and pressure injuries by half – reducing the overall number of subsequent admissions to hospital . In addition , with digital care plans in the palm of their hands , carers and nurses can immediately see whether residents have had sufficient nutrients or fluids and take appropriate action .
On top of this , reminders to offer drinks or specific food groups to alleviate the risk of UTIs can also be set up as part of a planned person-centred routine . Meanwhile , other digital software solutions are able to simplify the process even further by utilising a traffic light system to alert staff to when a care task is due , or to a resident falling below the recommended nutrition / hydration threshold for the rolling 24-hour period and flagging the need for intervention . So , when the risk increases , so too does the caregiver ’ s ability to be alerted and take appropriate action to avoid that person becoming dehydrated , which , in turn , reduces the risk of developing UTIs . For example , through the utilisation of technology , caregivers now have access to tools to monitor and share sore or swallowing issues that contribute to how well someone can eat and drink .
Again , it ’ s all about being able to review someone ’ s needs by measuring all risk factors such as height , weight , age , allergies , medical conditions , etc . Following this , all data is then pulled through the clinical care system , allowing caregivers to provide the appropriate level of person-centred care .
Overall , digital care technology grants aged care providers a clearer understanding of an individual ’ s nutrition and hydration plan , which can be monitored in real-time – a scenario that just wasn ’ t possible in a paper-based care setting .
Ultimately , if aged care homes throughout Australia are to continue to thrive , then digital care plans must become the benchmark for providing a holistic approach to care that ensures the people at the heart of the action have the tools at their disposal to significantly reduce the chance of a fall , or conversely , developing a UTI . ■
Tammy Sherwood is chief executive of Person Centred Software Australia .