When discussing personal and care alarms – in addition to other solutions most often used in elderly care – the benefits highlighted are typically for the different care receivers. However, we often mention that these modern and advanced solutions are also beneficial to the care providers, so how exactly do these innovative products and systems benefit them?
Being a care provider in a nursing home or in care homes in general comes with many challenges and sometimes difficulties. In fact, a study published by Health Affairs in 2021 reported that the annual average turnover rate was at 128%, with some facilities even reaching rates over 300%. Some studies also found, unsurprisingly, the quality of care provided is directly related to the job satisfaction levels of the care providers. Another study however, found it difficult to predict the specific and definite factors that affect burnout in the industry since the health industry is constantly changing. The latter, here mentioned, study also recommended the implementation of evidence-based approaches to tackle the issue and lower or prevent the likelihood of burnout among nurses and care providers.
Nonetheless, given these factors, it’s clear that wellbeing and working environment of nurses and care providers must urgently be prioritised.
Revisiting outdated, analogue based solutions
In addition to the total analogue switch-off which is due in the United Kingdom in 2025, old and outdated alarm systems that still rely on analogue platforms have several disadvantages when compared to new and modern solutions, especially with the availability of smart solutions today that greatly benefit care receivers and care providers alike.
Traditional alarm systems are neither as responsive, efficient, nor reliable as their digital and modern counterparts. Most of these analogue-based systems also need to be maintained regularly with human and physical input, while modern devices and systems can be maintained through software updates. As these old systems see less support due to the inevitable digital switch, maintaining such systems would prove to be challenging and costly.
More importantly, when these systems malfunction, the nurses and care providers themselves are greatly inconvenienced, and regular occurrences of such situations can lead to dysfunctional working environments, ultimately affecting the quality of the care provided.
Implementing modern alarm solutions to improve care home working environments
Thanks to the advent of advanced, smart systems in technology enabled care, innovative devices and solutions are now available to care homes – to care receivers and care providers. These different aids can now come in the shape of wearable pendants with alarm buttons for example, but also as shoes and bracelets with sensors designed to accurately monitor and track the status of the wearer.
In the context of care homes, following are 5 modern solutions that improve working environments:
- Wearable alarm pendants for care receivers – instead of the old, traditional system that uses buttons placed inside the rooms in nursing homes, solution providers such as Viser offer digital wearable pendants that can be used to trigger an alarm. This solution greatly benefits the care providers as well if used with indoor positioning, since they know where to find each care receiver in the facility, and do not need to walk to the specific room to turn off the alarm.
- Efficient medication management solution – in addition to their alarm pendants, Viser offers a medication management solution, which increases efficiency in the working environment as the care providers no longer have to worry about keeping track of medication regimens of the care receivers, thanks to the assistance of medication dispensers.
- Efficient monitoring and surveillance system – these smart cameras allow care providers to monitor patients and other care receivers, something that can allow them to omit nightly visits which otherwise could be a disturbance to the care receiver. This improves, not only the sleep quality, but also saves time for the care provider.
- Reliable tracking and positioning solutions – these devices allow the care receivers to move freely without direct and constant supervision of care providers, granting them both freedom and allowing for a less rigid working environment.
- Task planning and monitoring solutions – this allows care providers to easily keep track of planned activities, allowing for smoother flow of operations in the nursing home, and eliminating the risk of missing out on important tasks and activities.
Streamline your nursing home operations today with Skyresponse
Given the highly stressful nature of the job of care providers, implementing solutions in your care home that minimises stressful situations and eliminates unnecessary risks can greatly improve the working environment in your nursing home. Skyresponse provides a 100% cloud-based and futureproof platform that allows you to seamlessly integrate modern solutions that meet your specific needs. This in turn will allow you to create a working environment that also emphasises the efficiency as well as the wellbeing of your care providers.
Read more about the results from a case study in Lisbon, Portugal.
