Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
In a time where healthcare professionals were essentially thrown to the wolves to combat against the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, long before the vaccine was anywhere on the horizon, healthcare officials had a lot on their plate. Thankfully, with the help of innovative software companies, many healthcare practices were able to up their care offerings with the assistive help of advanced, smart technology solutions. From Telehealth to pharmaceutical sensors, these superheroes were able to enhance their approaches at providing the best patient care possible. Who better to provide this level of care to senior care facilities who were quite literally shut off from the rest of the world due to lockdown and quarantine procedures like never before experienced.
On Generational Care
For the older generations who aren’t as used to the advanced mobile devices and technology solutions that are common amongst millennials and younger, it can be pretty difficult for these elder individuals to learn such techniques on their own. Users will need a smooth and positive first introduction to these tools so that they don’t feel overwhelmed a first glance. Software installments should be loaded and functional onto every device, so that way the user won’t need to fiddle with bug fixes and updates.
Devices Here and There
Wearable devices have become a large piece of defining senior care technology. Supply these individuals with the responsibility and reminder to take their pills or monitor their heart-rate can give them a sense of purpose, making them feel like they are helping out in the bigger picture. These devices can also act as padding to detect if a fall were to occur or if the device noticed a drop in vital signs, the appropriate staff member or healthcare professional would be promptly contacted to take more intensive steps towards correcting the issue. These pendants and wearable accessories have been known to assist with COVID-19 contact tracing as well, depending on who has been where and around who else, from a logistics standpoint.
Studies have found that technology devices and services have been fairly effective in reducing social isolation among seniors, especially during the COVID-19 era, for the usage of smartphones, smart devices, and tablets has worked to provide activities for social interaction and information sharing as well. Voice Assistants can offer a helping hand for a variety of tasks, especially for senior citizens who may be more bed-ridden than others. Tasks that may appear difficult for many, such as changing the thermostat, answering the telephone, or seeing who has rung their doorbell, can all be readily handled with the help of a smart voice assistant. The rise in new technologies will benefit elderly adults with extended health and longevity by enabling smarter and more informed outlets for these individuals to adopt. In order to reap the benefits of such advanced technologies, options must be made inclusive for all parties.
Visitor Management within Senior Care and Assisted Living facilities is a huge component in managing effectively, especially when it comes to protecting elderly adults from COVID-19 exposure. Many facilities still continue to adhere by the COVID-19 safety protocols such as mandatory mask wearing guidelines and also the necessary social distancing procedures, but as vaccines continue to be administered, many will begin to open their doors to more relatives and visitors demanding to see their loved ones.
AccuShield’s Lever Stewart linked up with the TEConnect Podcast crew back in February to discuss how health questionnaire screenings are likely to change in the coming months. Research has shown that not everyone who has COVID-19 can experience a fever within the duration of their infection, and given that statement, it’s difficult to know if temperature screenings upon entrance are a valid gauge. 
Stewart suggested health screenings would potentially prosper if centered around proof of vaccination for both Coronavirus and the average yearly flu. This comes down to a data management solution, where the influx of visitors’ data coming would need to be better organized in order to effectively prevent infections from occurring within senior care facilities.
The TEConnect podcast crew collected a lot of interesting points from Lever doing this episode, and if you’re interested in listening to the rest of the podcast, it’s definitely worth a listen, and perhaps even a subscribe to our full channel.
