Signs and Symptoms of Functional Decline

3 Common Signs of Functional Decline…and Technology Assists

In the article, Ryan discusses the common signs of functional decline, what to look for – signs to be aware of. He says “Studies have documented that functional decline, i.e., the loss of either complex or basic ADL functions is due to changes in one or more of six areas: physical, perceptual, cognitive, visual and hearing, falling and psychological…”

He focuses on the first three in this blog post (I expect another blog post to follow with the next three)

I am always interested in looking at common factors as we age, and how technologies like GrandCare and others on the market along with a combination of caregiving techniques and supervised care can help in ways to prevent, deter and treat.

1. Physical Decline

Obviously, this happens as we get older. I already notice that I am sorer after running or exercising, I recall a day when I didn’t even think of stretching before or after exercise and today I certainly feel the consequences if I fail to do the recommended body stretching. So, how does losing physical strength, balance, stamina and coordination affect us? It could make a fall more possible, it could prevent the exercise needed to maintain muscle strength, it could encourage more napping. So, what do we do?  Well, obviously, home modification is a big one. We can have wider accessible doorways and ramps, so it’s easier to get around if/when a walker is needed as well as a wheelchair. The inability to walk no longer makes us automatically a candidate for facility life.  We can have systems like GrandCare automatically turn on a light if/when we get out of bed during the night (to mitigate nighttime falls). We can eliminate floor rugs – eliminate the slipping factors involved.  We can set up a GrandCare remote monitoring system, to indicate to caregivers that a loved one may not be moving around as frequently, perhaps is sleeping more, not getting out of a chair the entire day, and even can indicate if movement stops (potentially a fall?)

2. Perceptual Changes

Ryan discusses perceptual changes as “all the senses: vision, hearing, sensitivity to touch, taste – even smell. After all, each is important to overall well-being. If you can’t smell smoke, you may lose your life to a house fire; if your sense of touch is diminished by poor circulation, you may be burned by scalding water”.  So, the nice thing about certain technologies is being able to alert others of potential “hazards”. Technologies can alert family members if the temperature gets too warm or too cold in the home. A GrandCare stove detector could indicate to the Loved One (through alarms, phone calls, etc) that the stove was left on too long or could call a nearby caregiver or neighbor…

Ryan talks about medications sometimes being responsible for changes. Technology can be a great assist in not only medication management (GrandCare can make a phone call, email, text if meds are not taken), but also can give a bigger picture image of how medications might be affecting a loved one. A Florida GrandCare client recently called and tearfully told me that her mother was declining and it seemed as though she had “sundowners”. She knew this because of the GrandCare motion graphs that showed a lack of movement during the day, agitated sleep patterns, activity throughout the night (whereas her mother used to just get up one time a night and soundly sleep the rest). My Florida client took the print out of these motion graphs to a doctor to get his opinion. She and he were both shocked to make the correlation between a medication change (heart medication change) for her mother and the dramatic change in activity/sleep patterns.  He made a tweak to her medications and it made a world of a difference. This is what we’re talking about! This is what makes coming to work worthwhile for me — seeing a true change that technology can make for people, make their lives better, brighter and help caregivers making them into SUPER CAREGIVERS!

3. Cognitive Changes

Ryan discusses losing the ability to focus or multi-task. The inability to remember things short term. Well, I can say that as I’ve aged, I have experienced this a bit! I remember after having my first baby boy blaming my Mom-nesia for things. The reasons? Lack of sleep? Lack of attention (I was pretty focused on the present and making sure I did everything right, I didn’t have the time nor the care to focus on other things). I think this is pretty typical. We forget things as we have to focus on other things, we are compensating every day!  I use my alarm clock every morning, I use my google calendar to remind me of my daily activities – pretty sure if I didn’t have that I’d miss every appointment on my calendar. I use my colleagues, I use my family and my husband to continually provide cognitive assists for me, so I can remember to do things. The fridge still has shopping lists posted, so I don’t forget to grab them. We all need this.  Using technologies, we can provide these services remotely for our loved ones. Providing a TO DO list on a virtual “Bulletin board” makes a lot of sense.  Perhaps a display of today’s events. The thing we’ve always said about GrandCare is that it never gets tired of saying the same thing repeatedly. It never judges, it never gets irritated when answering a question for the nth time. GrandCare can give the time, date, weather reports, medication reminders. GrandCare can tell a loved one that it’s cold outside and remind them to bundle up.

 

Thanks Ryan for another thought-provoking article!

3 Common Signs of Functional Decline

by RYAN MALONE · 0 COMMENTS

in ALZHEIMER’S,ASSISTED LIVING

Functional Decline
Photo Credit: Flickr user e-MagineArt.com.
Everyone changes physically and mentally with age, but there are some changes that can really put a loved one’s safety at risk.  If you think that a loved one may require a transition to assisted living or elderly care, then you must first assess whether they are undergoing a true functional decline.

Functional decline is sometimes difficult to diagnose as individual symptoms often go unnoticed. Below is a list of symptoms of functional decline to be familiar with.

  • Misusing medication (over or under use and deviating from a schedule)
  • Reports of inexplicable behavior from friends, neighbors or family members
  • Poor personal hygiene
  • Unpaid bills
  • Changes in spending patterns
  • inappropriate clothing
  • Stains on clothing or upholstery from urine or feces
  • Forgetting how to use simple tools
  • Poorly cared-for pets
  • Repetitive questioning
  • Difficulty in communicating
  • Confusion
  • Unfinished tasks and chores
  • Spoiled or poorly-prepared food

AgingCare.com: Secrets our Loved Ones hide and How GrandCare can help….

Aging.com reported on 10 secrets that our aging parents keeps from us and some ways to deal with and approach them. I couldn’t help but think of all sorts of technology solutions (remote monitoring like GrandCare, Internet technology, etc.) that could assist in dealing with these 10 “secrets” shared in the story.

Of course, technology is only one piece to the puzzle. We are not quite at the point where technology comes immediately to mind when we are thinking about how to care for a loved one. It’s scary to embark upon caring for an aging parent and using a tool that is relatively new.  We did not grow up seeing technology used this way.  Many of us in today’s parenting generation have cared for children using all kinds of technologies (baby monitor, video monitor, bed monitor to detect SIDS, etc), but we don’t think to apply this to an obviously similar need among our aging parents. I get it, though, because although the caregiving process and stress can be similar to taking care of a child, it’s a completely different beast.

Children grow more and more independent as you guide them to do more and more things on their own. With an aging loved one, the opposite will occur. It’s much easier to give more freedom, obviously, than taking it away. I can imagine that it would be difficult to have someone tell you that you cannot or should not do things anymore.

Given this, we can’t be too surprised when a loved one hides or covers up certain things. I even think about my own kids cleaning up a mess they make, BEFORE I see it to avoid punishment or having things be taken away.

So what to do? How do we know if/when someone hides something? And what if it’s something that could be unsafe, unhealthy or potentially life-threatening? What steps could we or should we take to “get to the bottom” of things? How can we more closely monitor? How do we confront? I don’t know that there is an easy answer. I remember my parents having to “take away the keys” from my Grandpa. That was a hard day and it took him a while to get used to the loss of independence. It was the right thing to do (He was not even noticing if I passed him on the road and was repeatedly honking and wildly waving). Even though it was the responsible choice, it did not make it any less difficult.

The aging.com article lists 10 common things that people tend to “hide” or not reveal to those helping care for them. As I read the list I started to think that there really are some high tech and low tech solutions that could help out. Perhaps a telehealth assessment, a SKYPE visit, or even a remote activity of daily living monitoring solution, like GrandCare Systems.

Below is a list of the 10 secrets and the ways that I believe technology could be a piece of the puzzle:

1. Falls – – Technology can detect the actual fall itself, but even if they are not wearing anything…many technologies like GrandCare could alert a family member if they were not “up and about” as usual.
2. Pain – – So obviously technology can’t tell you WHAT they are feeling emotionally or physically, but can give you hints on it. For example, you could have SKYPE visits with a loved one and “see” how they are doing. Systems like GrandCare also have touch-based assessments that the loved one can fill out every day. People tend to be more comfortable telling a machine how they are feeling, versus “complaining” to their family. It can be a helpful resource and indicate if pain levels are there, swelling, happiness, etc. Activity Systems like GrandCare could also portray if a person was moving less than usual, which might be a good indication of a potential problem or pain.
3. Dizziness – – can be caused by many things such as low blood pressure or medication noncompliance…these things can all be remotely monitored by a tele-wellness system like GrandCare. GrandCare has several wireless, bluetooth enabled blood pressure, weight scale, pulseox, glucometer devices that can indicate a potential wellness issue. The medication dispenser could send out an alert if the meds were not accessed.
4, 5, & 6. Money Shortages, Frivolous Purchasing, Financial Abuse – – I put these together because I think they can be managed together. Technology is of great assistance as caregivers can check bank accounts, checks and credit card statements online. Not to mention, one of GrandCare’s initial goals was to help mitigate tele-marketing scams (the co-founder’s mother had an investment banker in Sun City West, AZ scam her, which gave a huge wake up to the entire family). GrandCare has a caller-ID sensor that can alert family members or primary caregivers of unusual, repeated incoming calls, etc. to help stop SCAMS!

7. Elder Abuse – – there are several factors to take into account with elder abuse. It can be very difficult to diagnose this, but technology systems in place can help. Technology can play a big role when determining neglect (caregiver is NOT arriving when they should be, patient is not being “turned”, fridge is NOT being accessed during mealtime, etc). SKYPE is a great way to “see” into the home and look into a loved one’s eyes to really determine what might be happening…

8. Auto Accidents or Driving Infractions – – Although technology won’t play much of a role with determining whether or not a loved one has gotten a ticket or driving infraction, it can share information about how your loved one is behaving in general. Is he/she wandering (could be indicative of sundowners, dementia or even seizures), is he/she complying with medications, eating regularly, normal vitals? sleeping well? All of these factors can help to give a bigger picture idea of what’s happening behind closed doors and allow family members to make educated, healthier and smarter decisions for a loved one.

9. Alcohol or Drug Abuse – – Again, technology can really give a better overall indication that all is well or not well at home. Eating/sleeping patterns, vitals, daily behaviors can help to give an educated view on what might be happening in a loved one’s life. In severe cases, it could be possible to use a monitoring system to monitor access to the liquor cabinet.

10. Gambling – – technology can help to assess when a loved one leaves the home and if they have their GPS enabled Cell phone, shoes or watch, a worried caregiver could be notified if they leave a designated perimeter (mostly used for wandering, dementia, etc)

Granted, there are many other (additional) ways to detect and mitigate these 10 secrets, but I wanted to note that there are some assistive technology solutions out there that are designed to enable a caregiver (call it a super caregiver) to become more aware (even if they don’t live close by) of how a loved one is doing. Because, after all, that’s what we all desire – for our loved one to be safe, be able to stay home (if that’s where he/she would like to be), stay virtually connected/socialized and continue to go about normal daily activities. These technologies were created so these four things could easily & instantaneously happen!

by Laura Mitchell, VP Marketing, GrandCare Systems

GrandCare is a comprehensive digital home health system combining aspects of home automation, activity of daily living monitoring, telehealth sensors, video chat, Internet communications and Social media, using a simple interactive TouchScreen (requires zero previous computer experience).

www.grandcare.com   dealers@grandcare.com   262-338-6147

Read the entire article:

Top 10 Secrets That Aging Parents Keep and what to do about it

Source: AgingCare.com

Your aging parent may be keeping secrets from you. Not necessarily lies, but withholding of information that may be important to their health, safety or general well-being.

Often, as people age, they become embarrassed when they have to ask for help, or require assistance in their care. So they cover up bruises, accidents and money trouble in an attempt to maintain their independence.

From falls to spending habits and from abuse to car accidents, there are a range of “secrets” that elders tend to keep, according to Marilyn Sharbach Ladew, MSW, a nationally recognized expert in senior caregiving….

Elderly Particularly Vulnerable to Dangers of Heat Waves, Independa Chief Medical Officer Warns

I came across this article today and thought it was a great article to post. Written by Independa, it is a very relevant and timely warning of heat and the effects that it can have on our aging population. We often hear tragic stories of heat-related accidents and fatalities throughout the world that could have easily been fully avoided using some type of remote monitoring technology.  GrandCare Systems uses a series of activity of daily living sensors, including an indoor temperature sensor.  This sensor can alert a family member or professional caregiver if the temperature inside the home exceeds or drops below set parameters (heat or A/C not working, etc.)   GrandCare can also continuously remind the Loved One to drink more water, remind them to not go outside (a settable parameter if the outdoor temp is too high or too low) or alert a remote caregiver if the outdoor temperature is at a dangerous level, so they are aware of potential health risks.  This is a very real issue that is very preventable and avoidable!  Take a look at Independa’s article below!!

Proactive steps, including virtual communication, help protect health and can save lives

 SAN DIEGO, Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — As cities across the United States cope with record-breaking heat waves this summer, it is critical for those who care for the elderly to proactively protect their health, says Dr. Richard Della Penna, Chief Medical Officer of Independa™, Inc. and a leading expert on elder care. He adds that emerging technology makes it easier to take precautions and learn of potential issues.

“The elderly are at greater risk than the general population during extremely hot weather because our bodies don’t respond to changes in temperature in the same way as we get older,” Della Penna says. “Beyond causing discomfort, sustained heat and humidity are dangerous for older people.”

Why Elderly Are Susceptible

Among contributing factors, the elderly don’t always feel as warm as younger people do in higher temperatures, and don’t necessarily sense thirst. Medical conditions can further diminish elders’ ability to cope with heat-related stress, and medications can interfere with their bodies’ cooling capabilities, Della Penna adds.

Habits and lifestyles also play a role. Because they chill easily, older adults tend to dress warmly. They may not have air conditioning or fans, and even if they do, those on fixed incomes often hesitate to use these electrical devices. In urban areas, the elderly frequently shut their windows and doors for fear of crime.

“Isolation is certainly a risk factor for older people,” Della Penna says. “Many of the people who die during heat waves are elders who live alone and don’t have anyone to check on them.”

During the hot spell that struck Chicago in July 1995, 371 of the 522 deaths reported involved people age 65 or older. This summer, the National Weather Service attributed as many as 64 deaths to the heat wave in late July as Midwestern, Eastern and Southern states experienced temperatures in the 90s and 100s.

How Caregivers Can Help

Della Penna is calling on caregivers to act now, using technology for virtual communication and monitoring if they don’t live nearby or are away on vacation.

“New technology allows remote caregivers to be proactive and be notified of possible danger signs,” he says.

Della Penna recommends the following measures for caregivers:

  • Monitor weather reports, and reach out to care recipients when the weather forecast calls for a heat wave, so you can help them plan. Independa customers currently can arrange to receive alerts tied to outside temperatures, for example if the temperature hits 90 degrees, and can monitor care recipients’ local weather conditions from their software dashboard.
  • Encourage elders to wear light, loose-fitting clothing.
  • Advise older people to drink water or juice throughout the day. Independa’s telecare reminder platform can be programmed to send recipients reminders to drink fluids at regular intervals.
  • Encourage care recipients to use air conditioning or fans in their homes, or to move to cooler environments in friends’ homes, cooling centers or other public places. If necessary, prearrange for transportation.
  • Suggest minimizing activities that generate heat in the home, including cooking with the stove or oven.
  • Recommend avoiding strenuous exercise.
  • Speak with a care recipient’s physician about medications and ask about possible short-term changes, for example, to guard against dehydration.

 

“Taking advantage of technology benefits care receivers and caregivers,” Della Penna says. “By providing tips for the elderly and helping them plan for hot temperatures, caregivers can empower those in their care to protect themselves. Caregivers can also use technology to ‘see’ into their loved ones’ or patients’ homes and intervene if something doesn’t seem quite right.”… To read the full article: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elderly-particularly-vulnerable-to-dangers-of-heat-waves-independa-chief-medical-officer-warns-126659388.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Sensors Trump Surveys When Researchers Monitor Elders: LeadingAge Article

I had to share this article from LeadingAge – – Thanks LeadingAge for your help and support to forward the notion of using Enabling Technologies to remain independent and at home.

Read the full Article from LeadingAge: http://www.leadingage.org/How_Sensors_Trump_Surveys_When_Researchers_Monitor_Elders.aspx

How Sensors Trump Surveys When Researchers Monitor Elders

by Geralyn MaganPublished On: Jul 25, 2011

Two recent studies suggest that using sensors to monitor the health of older people will yield more complete, unbiased and accurate information than using low-tech monitoring systems that rely on consumers to self-report their health status through verbal or written surveys.

Better Compliance

In one study, researchers at the UCLA Wireless Health Institute and the UCLA School of Nursing found that older people with congestive heart failure (CHF) who used a remote health monitoring system called WANDA experienced a 5.6% reduction in abnormal weight and blood pressure readings. WANDA, which stands for Weight and Activity with Blood Pressure Monitoring, tracks patient health, takes relevant measurements and transmits readings to health providers by phone lines, Wi-Fi, or 3G cellular networks.

3 features make WANDA an effective way to monitor health and prevent emergency situations, say researchers:

  • It features an automated system for checking vital signs.
  • It sends reminders to patients to reduce dataset gaps.
  • It delivers data to physicians in real time.

Researchers say these features make WANDA a better option for people with CHF than a low-tech system, tested in a 2010 Yale University study, which relied on patients to phone in their readings to health professionals. After 6 months, only 55% of patients in the study were still reporting their readings, according to Information Week.

Fewer Issues with Bias and Recall

In another study, researchers at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice found that sensors were just as effective as traditional written questionnaires in collecting accurate data about sociability and activity among older people.

During the small study, researchers asked 8 residents of a continuing care retirement community to spend 10 days wearing waist-mounted, wireless devices that continuously measured the amount of time they spent walking, sitting and speaking with 1 or more other people.

Researchers concluded that the electronically collected data correlated strongly with the results of four written questionnaires completed by study participants. In addition, researchers suggested that having objective sensor-generated information could eliminate the bias and recall problems people can display when answering surveys or submitting self-reports about their activities. Study participants reported that the monitoring devices were easy to wear but said they found the surveys inconvenient and difficult to complete.

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‘Human factor’ often overlooked in home health device creation: Fierce Health IT reports

I couldn’t agree more with this article. There is definitely a gap

between the wide spectrum of technologies currently available on

the market and the professional aging service providers.

Getting involvement from the professional caregivers as well as

training on home health will be critical. Usability is (of course) significant

as well, so design regulations will be a good idea. We at GrandCare started

developing in 2005, when the idea of the home health technology was still

an “imagine” scenario.  At the time, we were one of the “three”

(QuietCare, GrandCare, HealthSense). We all kind of made up the rules as we

went along, changing with the times & trying to educate providers and the market.

Now that we have reached the point of acceptance, basic education & understanding,

it’s a good time to start setting up some guidelines/education for the best and most

successful practice of these technologies!  As one can imagine, systems like GrandCare

do NOT function without the human touch – it is critical to the caregiving puzzle!

Enabling technologies were designed to enable humans, so for the time being,

taking humans out of the picture is not an option!

“Care Thee Well”

-Laura from GrandCare Systems, www.grandcare.com

'Human factor' often overlooked in home health device creation
July 18, 2011 — 4:04pm ET | By 
The National Research Council believes that home health device manufacturers don’t give enough consideration to human factors like ease of use when creating their technology, according to a report released this week. The report, commissioned by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, also calls on government agencies, in particular the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, to work together more closely in regulating such devices, as well as any accompanying applications.

Patients and caregivers should be able to use such devices easily and also should have a mechanism for providing feedback on their design flaws, the report notes. At a time when hospitals and healthcare systems are placing increased emphasis on post-acute care, the report’s recommendations highlight wide gaps that currently exist in home care regulations.

Among the study’s specific recommendations:

  • ONC, AHRQ and the National Institute of Standards and Technology “should establish design guidelines and standards…for content, accessibility, functionality, and usability guidelines” for information technology used in home care, such as personal health records and patient portals.
  • To improve FDA’s understanding of user difficulties with home health devices, the agency should improve its adverse events reporting system so that it can collect data from both “lay users” and professionals.
  • The FDA, in conjunction with device manufacturers, should develop a database to guide physicians in prescribing home health devices appropriately.
  • Caregivers should be well-trained in home care and in using home health devices.

NRC’s announcement was made one day before the FDA released its draft guidance for mobile medical applications.

To learn more:
– read the NRC press release
– see the NRC report

Read more: 'Human factor' often overlooked in home health device creation - FierceHealthIT http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/human-factor-often-overlooked-home-health-device-creation/2011-07-18#comment-1580#ixzz1T5Mj8fnS 
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Home health devices, mobile apps need to be connected to providers: FierceHealth IT

This editor’s article is absolutely on the money!  There needs to a continuity between hospital providers and in-home health care providers (hopefully with the tech solution as that bridge). It’s so difficult as we tech providers bring these enabling solutions to market with our hands tied. Obviously, the use of remote monitoring and socialization technology will provide enhanced care and enable a caregiver to more information than he/she might have had. It can also remind, record and track vitals remotely and doctors can check in on these (obviously going to be a better indication of overall trends)…  In order to get this off the ground, changes do need to be made. Doctors need to be reimbursed for their time…in this day and age it doesn’t always HAVE to be in office visits. There are several times when I can chat with my family doctor over email or phone with just a few questions, no office visit required. Imagine a SKYPE visit that would not make me have to leave bed with 103 degree fever, just taking my vitals (doc accesses them immediately) and diagnoses me. People need to be encouraged to care preventatively for themselves at home…going home (previously coined discharge, now coined transition) should be JUST that…a transition and there should be a technology involved that can still keep the doc and healthcare staff in the loop, provide instructions for the Loved One (perhaps on the TouchScreen), Web Chat opportunities, medication prompts and reminders, as well as track daily activities (eating, drinking, sleeping, etc) and alert a caregiver if anything seems amiss. This is all part of what GrandCare has been building for the past 6 years (avail on the market since 2006)…and with some changes, we will see some big savings & better care!

July 24, 2011 — 9:27pm ET | By 

Read more: Home health devices, mobile apps need to be connected to providers – FierceHealthIT http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/home-health-devices-mobile-apps-need-be-connected-providers/2011-07-24#comment-1582#ixzz1T9ZGgxgP
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Home healthcare, an essential ingredient of post-acute care, can help people recover from injury or illness faster, which ultimately can prevent relapses that leads to an emergency room visit or hospital readmissions. Increasingly, home devices are being used to monitor the health status and vital signs of patients; at the same time, there also has been an explosion of mobile apps that can work with such devices, smartphones, and/or tablets to aid consumers in managing their own health. Both of these developments hold promise for improving post-acute and chronic care.

Unfortunately, the guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on mobile apps and the report from the National Research Council on flaws in home health devices–both released last week–failed to address one of the main problems in health IT for home use: a general lack of connectedness between home and provider information systems. To really apply the new technologies in ways that will prevent readmissions, doctors must be online with their patients and their caregivers, and must receive relevant data from both in a way that’s easy to use.

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Today’s approach to remote monitoring has not progressed far beyond that of a decade ago: patients in a disease management program for, say, congestive heart failure, still receive telephonic support from nurse case managers. In some cases, the nurses might be able to monitor the patients’ weight online via digital scales, and patients might be able to answer questions about their symptoms and diet through a web-connected device.

Despite evidence of home monitoring’s efficacy, payers that cover it are few and far between; so, unless there’s a financial reason for hospitals to pay for home monitoring, as there is with heart failure, it may not be done at all. For example, a 2008 article in Managed Care Magazine notes that most insurers don’t cover blood pressure monitoring at home, even though it’s been shown to be more accurate than in-office measurements. As for connecting digital blood pressure cuffs directly to an electronic health record in a physician’s office, we’re talking about the impossible dream. Even if health plans paid for the technology, physicians would not be reimbursed for keeping tabs on patients at home.

Home care nurses are actually more likely to use an electronic health record than physicians, partly because of Medicare documentation requirements. But physicians usually don’t hear from these caregivers unless a patient has a serious problem, or needs to have their medication adjusted.

Connecting home care records online with ambulatory-care EHRs is still the exception, but at least one prominent healthcare organization has made progress. A few years ago, the Cleveland Clinic interfaced its discharge planning software with its home care application–both of which happened to come from Allscripts. By 2010, Cleveland Clinic had also found a way to send the home care data into its Epic enterprise EHR so that physicians caring for patients could view it.

With bundling and accountable care organizations looming on the horizon, I wish I could say that other healthcare systems are following Cleveland Clinic’s example. But frankly, I haven’t run into much of it, outside of St. Vincent Health System in Indianapolis and Partners HealthCare in Boston. This is a big hole in enterprise health information exchanges, and one that will have to be filled sooner rather than later. – Ken

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Intel/GE recognizes the HUGE importance of linking socialization to remote monitoring…we’re obviously on the right track!!!!

This is great news, seeing the big giants like GE & Intel embracing and realizing the value of socialization, reminders and cognition (being equally important to the wellness & ADL monitoring). QuietCare was bleeding edge, I would venture to say they were the first ones to really get out there with their Activity of Daily Living remote monitoring system back in 2005.  GrandCare & HealthSense were not far behind. The three of us watched each other, paved roads for one another and learned from each other. I am so glad that QuietCare is being used in this venture, it really is a great system. GrandCare founder, Charlie Hillman, was so visionary back in 2005 – being the first to combine socialization/cognition along with ADL monitoring into one system. Funny thing is, even I (at the time) didn’t “get it” – didn’t see why it would be so important to have that “GrandCare Communication Station”, which of course has turned into the interactive touchscreen/video chat… Think of how far we all have come since 2005, especially with all of the new players in this market and the new focus to the digital home health field. I see great things happening every day in this industry and look forward to what the future will bring…

 

Take a look at Laurie Orlov’s blog entry on this:

Care Innovations Connect Makes Telehealth Social

Submitted by Laurie Orlov on Wed, 07/20/2011 – 09:49

http://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/care-innovations-connect-makes-telehealth-social

Care Innovations — tackling social isolation and wellness.  In some ways, yesterday’s launch of Connect from Intel-GE’s wholly owned Care Innovationjoint venture should come as no surprise. When the companies combined last year, spun out of Intel’s Digital Health group and GE’s QuietCare business units, I was hopeful that they would transcend limitations of the previous parents. Especially given Intel’s investment history of researching social needs of seniors, Omar Ishrak’s comment last August really resonated: “We recognize that the conditions faced by home health patients are not necessarily clinical. It is part of our core mission [in the Joint Venture] to address social and support needs.”

Beyond patient to the person behind the monitoring.  A touch-screen device placed in the home enables a senior to have access to social networks, customized content, news, and also wellness surveys that are typical of telehealth devices – which historically have been useful for health providers, proven beneficial to seniors with chronic disease (reducing those dreaded re-hospitalizations).  But fun, social, two-way experiences, as much about enabling a senior to see out as well as caregivers see in? When the person is viewed as a patient, that can’t happen. Care Innovations’ Connect targets the person (and patient to a lesser degree) in a device paradigm that, for now, can be useful to frail seniors. When I chatted with him a few days ago, Care Innovations GM James Pursley did not rule out the possibility that future versions may take advantage of growing tablet mania – placing Connect as a starting point in the evolution of technologies that will connect caregivers, providers, and seniors together – as it must be.

Tech platforms are transitory – vendors must pick a platform for now. We are in yet another platform shift today – recognizing that a relatively small percentage of the frailest seniors are comfortable with computers or have high-speed data plans, for that matter, so dedicated appliance solutions make sense during the transition – Sonamba’s Wellbeing Monitor uses a picture frame paradigm to provide similar social connection functionality as  Connect. Other vendors, including Independa’s recently launched Angela targets the same market by customizing software into an ‘off-the-shelf’ tablet that also enables video chat.

Despite tech paradigms shift, products must launch.  In some ways, it is a particularly murky and complex time to be launching technologies in this market.  Complicated channel strategies must parse a fragmented prospective audience –healthcare? Senior housing? How to reach families? What about home security and electronics dealers – are they vested and interested in this space? Can they reach the last few feet into the home?  Today’s PERS pendant/service (a market that’s been around FOREVER) may migrate right onto a smartphone, Telehealth devices may migrate to tablets (Dell thinks so and doctors ‘embrace’ the iPad), and there’s the television, sitting not so quietly in the corner of every senior’s living room – maybe a future social engagement device that is (comparatively speaking) designed for all.  Designing for all (including the loneliest seniors in nursing homes or their own homes) is what vendors must do.  Emerging markets reflect flux in both user willingness, channel interest, and market readiness.  Let’s applaud Care Innovations – and its Intel/GE backers! They validate and verify the value this market brings to the lives of older adults.

Aging Baby Boomers Drawing Attention to Health Monitoring Tools – Ihealth Beat

Read an article from HealthyCal in ihealth beat the other day on the lack of awareness of Technology from the aging boomer perspective!

I agree with Lynn Reddington from the article – – the awareness that such technology even exists as a piece of the puzzle is not there. The numbers that Douglas provides in the article are astounding, the cost of technology as a supplement to hands-on care should be a no brainer. What we need is for the media, home health care providers and medical care providers to promote the use of technology to help provide ultimate care.

GrandCare technology has helped families to keep a loved one at home, independent and safe, while giving them a new window into the virtual world (SKYPE, email, online games, weather/news, videos, music, etc.). Why shouldn’t our aging population be able to experience all of the wonderful things that the Internet provides for us every day? Thanks for the article HealthyCal and keep spreading the word!

Monday, July 11, 2011 

Aging Baby Boomers Drawing Attention to Health Monitoring Tools

As baby boomers age, more companies are creating remote health monitoring and telemedicine devices to help elderly residents remain in their homes, but the public and physicians are not widely aware of such tools, HealthyCal reports.

Details of the Devices

Homes and assisted living facilities are being equipped with new technology designed to cut medical costs and comfort patients.

Such devices are aimed at:

  • Coordinating care among health care providers;
  • Improving cognitive function using “brain fitness” programs;
  • Monitoring chronic disease;
  • Providing early detection of illness; and
  • Reminding seniors to take their medication.

Steps Taken by Industry and Education

General Electric and Intel recently formed a joint venture to develop new health care tools. Among other products, the joint firm offers tools that track vital signs and patient movement.

In addition, the University of California-Davis Medical Center is scheduled to open a Telehealth Resource Center next summer. The center will be used to train medical professionals on how to use home telehealth technologies, according to Thomas Nesbitt, associate vice chancellor for strategic technologies and alliances at UC-Davis.

Challenges, Benefits of the Tools

Despite the growing interest in remote monitoring tools, several hurdles exist for seniors who want to use the devices. For example:

  • Medicare and private insurers typically do not cover the costs of devices;
  • Most family physicians are not technologically knowledgeable enough to promote the devices; and
  • Patients could be harmed by the systems in some cases if they fail to work properly.

In addition, a lack of awareness of such tools exists.

Lynn Redington — senior program director for the Center for Technology and Aging — said, “We find the awareness level of telehealth solutions is pretty low.”

Even so, observers say the lower cost of care associated with using the devices can be beneficial to family and state budgets.

Douglas Busch of Intel estimated that the cost to provide care to aging adults at home is about $10 per day, compared with $10,000 per day at an intensive care unit.

Remote monitoring devices also can help ease transportation problems and the need for family members to take time off work to provide care (Perry, HealthyCal, 7/10).

Read more: http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2011/7/11/aging-baby-boomers-drawing-attention-to-health-monitoring-tools.aspx#ixzz1RvOvM1OO

2011 CEDIA Future Technology Pavilion to Simulate Home Environment of Tomorrow

GrandCare is honored to be a sponsor (for the 2nd year in a row) of the CEDIA Future Technology Pavilion as well as be exhibited throughout the home.  Witness first-hand the GrandCare System telehealth Bluetooth-enabled devices (blood pressure, weight, pulseox, glucose), along with a medication dispenser and the activity of daily living smart-home sensors such as motion, temp, door, bed/chair, lighting, etc.  It’s going to be a highly interactive experience (participants will be able to touch/see/feel the entire Connected Home experience) with tour guides available throughout the home to explain the various technologies and how to get involvedFor a teaser home health tech experience, join the CEDIA sponsored July 26th FREE WEBINAR: Home Health Technology & You…in 60 minutes or less.    Register Here

Look forward to seeing you all at CEDIA!

GrandCare Systems

2011 CEDIA Future Technology Pavilion to Simulate Home Environment of Tomorrow

July 6, 2011

 

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – July 6, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) has announced details surrounding the 2011 Future Technology Pavilion that will appear on the CEDIA EXPO tradeshow floor.The Future Technology Pavilion first appeared on the CEDIA EXPO tradeshow floor in 2010. This year’s pavilion will simulate a future home environment with individual rooms showcasing technologies for the kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, home office and garage.

“The Future Technology Pavilion is designed to be a preview of how emerging trends will be integrated into home technology systems in the coming months and years,” said Dave Pedigo, Senior Director of Technology for CEDIA. “CEDIA EXPO attendees are getting a sneak peek at how they will be able to capitalize on these cutting-edge technologies in the near future.”

Highlights of this year’s pavilion include a video wall, smart appliances, wireless power for cooking and charging, and fully integrated home health and wellness products. The systems on display in the Future Technology Pavilion will represent a model of how new and emerging technologies will be integrated into the homes of tomorrow. Some products are just hitting the market, and others will be available within a few years.

The Future Technology Pavilion will be open during tradeshow hours, Thursday September 8 and Friday September 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday September 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A list of participating companies is available here. CEDIA will release additional details regarding the Future Technology Pavilion as the show approaches.

The CEDIA EXPO virtual registration brochure offers more information on the Future Technology Pavilion as well as other events planned for the show. Registration for CEDIA EXPO 2011 is open at www.cedia.org/expo. Early-bird registration discounts are available until July 15. For more information, visit www.cedia.org/expo or call 800.669.5329/317.328.4336.

Read more

Why America Needs Seniors to Remain Healthy and in Their Homes – Huffington Post

I recently saw an article in the Huffington Post by Kenneth Thorpe called “Why America Needs Seniors to Remain Healthy and in Their Homes”. While I absolutely agree with the article, I felt a critical piece of the puzzle was completely left out of the article.  He didn’t mention the symbiotic use of in-home/digital home health technologies…  It’s true that in order to save this country from entering a black hole of debt (with the HUGE aging boom) we need to figure out new ways to stay independent, safe, happy and healthy at home! We need to utilize not only home health providers, but also embrace technology that can show the big picture/long term trends e.g. increased/decreased motion, restless sleeping patterns, abnormal vitals, etc. Benjamin Franklin once said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I sure wish we took this more to heart. Hospitals are used too often because we didn’t focus at all on prevention. Hospitals should ONLY be used for cure. In-home technologies like GrandCare gathers info about the household (when/if someone gets out of bed, if  front door opens during the night, meds not accessed, abnormal vitals, fridge not accessed during mealtimes, heat not working, etc…)  The caregiver can then respond to the alerts. A socialization component allows online care & calendar coordination and communication with the Loved One (notes, emails, videos, pictures & SKYPE  through a simple touchscreen interface). Tech WITH hands-on Care will be the ultimate solution. There is no reason that a person needs to stay awake 24 hours a day caring for a Loved One, when a system can gently wake them and notify them if assistance is needed. It’s not a matter of If, but a matter of when! Discovery Channel did quite a nice piece on the future of aging, they talked about everything from Medication Dispensers to remote monitoring systems to SKYPE and GPS-enabled shoes…take a look: http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/discovery-channel-cme-future-family-part-2.html#mkcpgn=fb3

Thanks to the Huffington Post for dedicating time to this critical topic!

Take a look below

Kenneth Thorpe

Chair of Dept. of Health Policy & Mgmt. at Emory University’s School of Public Health

Why America Needs Seniors to Remain Healthy and in Their Homes

With many Republicans forecasting the end of Medicare for those under 55 and few members of my own Democratic Party willing to propose sweeping reforms to preserve it, several Washington insiders speculate that serious Medicare reform will remain a third rail of American politics.

Yet based on my experience, common ground on Medicare is possible and, in the short term, policymakers have an immediate and time-sensitive opportunity to prevent and manage costly chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension through a coordinated approach to treating patients led by home health care. By strengthening options that let people get much-needed care at home, policymakers can save money, give older Americans what they want and address the chronic disease epidemic facing our nation.

Consider the following: Nearly three quarters of those who live to 85 will eventually need health assistance ranging from simple help around the house to 24-hour skilled nursing care. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, a week in a private nursing home room costs about $1,500 while a week of home health care costs considerably less.

If Congress accelerates already planned cuts in home health care (currently under consideration) or raises fees on seniors even more, it will encourage many to enter costly nursing homes and, eventually, increasing the overall cost of the Medicare program. This defies fiscal and political logic.

Moreover, policies that force seniors into nursing homes through cuts to home health spending will directly impact our efforts to prevent and manage chronic disease. The cuts reduce the capacity to provide health care services to chronically ill patients at home. Patients with chronic disease account for 75 percent of U.S. health spending and the numbers are higher in entitlement programs. Eighty-three percent of every dollar in Medicaid is spent on chronic disease and 99 percent in Medicare.

The best chance America has to alleviate this burden is by creating a coordinated team-based approach to health care in which doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, home health aides and patients are all working together to treat and get in front of chronic conditions. While some individuals have needs that require care only institutional settings can provide, few should leave friends, family, and familiar places simply because they need extra help.

Home health aides spend much more “face time” with seniors and disabled persons than doctors and nurses. Our medical system must take advantage of this. With better information technology — interoperable electronic medical records in particular — and improved integration between health providers of all sorts, home health workers can serve as a “front door” to a better-coordinated medical system. Improved coordination of care, in turn, can save money (it’s almost always cheaper to treat problems early), reduce medical errors, and improve quality of life for Americans on Medicare.

Such home and community-based solutions should appeal to both ends of the political spectrum. Republicans intent on cutting the budget should know that they’ll save money by reducing the need for institutional care. Democrats who want to raise the quality of public services should be secure in the knowledge that home health care spending will do just that. Providing opportunities for patients to receive their health care services at home rather than at more expensive institutional settings is a common sense solution.
To see the entire article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kenneth-thorpe/medicare-cuts_b_885195.html