Entries Tagged 'Assistive Technology' ↓

By Laurie Orlov

Successful aging is not an oxymoron. First the textbook definition (from “The Realities of Aging, Kinsey/Kart): “aging in which external factors either have a neutral role or counteract the effects of internal aging processes, resulting in little or no decrements in functioning.” Whew. What does that mean?

The AARP Healthy@Home study, which surveyed 907 seniors between 65 and 84, helps boil that down to plain English. They asked responders to identify both the importance and their satisfaction with attributes of successful aging, shown here in descending order of importance, with the first column the percentage who ranked the attribute as very important and the second column indicates the percentage that said they were completely satisfied with that aspect of their life:

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CLOSE YOUR EYES and envision a physician carrying his or her black bag to make a house call on a frail elderly person, someone with a disability, or even an aging baby boomer. Does this image seem as outdated as multi-week hospital stays? Actually, house calls, with their potential to lower costs while improving healthcare quality, are more relevant than ever.

Today, a disproportionate percentage of rising healthcare costs are tied to the expense of caring for those with complex chronic illnesses and serious disabilities. This population cannot easily get to the doctor’s office or have their needs met in a 20-minute visit. In our approach to caring for these patients, there are many missed opportunities to prevent complications requiring costly hospitalizations and nursing home placements

In greater Boston, house calls are coming back, but with a 21st century twist. Each month, 500 elderly, disabled, and chronically ill persons who are enrolled in a special primary care program receive visits from clinicians committed to helping them retain their independence and health. The person making the house call, however, is more likely to be a nurse practitioner than a doctor. In addition to a stethoscope, the bag is likely to contain a laptop computer that connects the clinician to physicians, hospitals, and an entire array of support services.

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Every morning, motion sensors track Joyce Denning as she rises from bed, goes into the bathroom, opens the refrigerator, moves around the living room and strolls out her apartment door.

A computer checks those movements against the 78-year-old’s daily routines and alerts nursing staff when something seems out of the ordinary — like too many trips to the bathroom or restlessness in bed or no motion at all.

The monitoring system has helped Denning remain in her Chisago City apartment for two years — despite a gradual waning of strength in her legs — and avoid moving to an assisted-living or nursing home that would cost more and take away some freedom.

Whether it seems like Big Brother to an outsider, the monitoring doesn’t bother Denning one bit. Well, except for when she polishes her gold rings and pendants in the bathroom. The first couple of times, the sensors set off alarms because it seemed like she had been in the bathroom too long and might have suffered a fall.

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