As more people require home care as they enter retirement and beyond, significant changes are happening to the home care industry. The medical industry has always been at the forefront of technological innovation.
Technological innovations make life easier for both healthcare professionals and patients. The main aim of innovations in the home care industry is to ensure patients can get the care they need with increasing accessibility and convenience.
Many healthcare professionals state that there should not be an over-reliance on technological innovations in the healthcare industry as the human element is still crucial, especially in-home care.
Despite that, the following are some of the top innovations in the home care industry:
Drone Delivered Medical Supplies
One innovation that is expected to substantially increase the convenience of the elderly at home receiving medical supplies is drone technology. Most older citizens and their children or caretakers prefer in-home care due to its benefits.
Some patients may be completely unable to leave the house without assistance to get medical supplies. Drone technology is a beneficial innovation that uses GPS technology to deliver various medical supplies right to the patient’s doorstep.
They have facial recognition technology, too, to ensure the supplies get to the right recipient. Patients can also use drone technology to send blood, urine, stool, and DNA samples to medical institutions and healthcare professionals from the comfort of their own homes. UPS is one of the companies pioneering aerial medical deliveries with promising results.
Therapy For Dementia Patients
Dementia is a degenerative brain disease that was previously thought to have no cure. However, new research into the condition shows that the disease could be treated or at least the severity of its symptoms reduced.
The aim of therapy for dementia patients is to reduce the decline of cognitive abilities and help the patients remain independent for as long as possible. The treatment will involve various therapy types, including cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.
Therapy to treat dementia will vary from clinic to clinic. Still, the combination of different therapies produces results and treatment for the disorder you will see more of in the future.
Automated IV Pumps
The IV pump has been a feature in medical institutions for decades. Due to advancements in technology, there is now an automated IV pump that controls the dosages and drips patients receive. Instead of the patients waiting for the nurses to make the relevant changes to their IV pumps, the software and the drips can adjust the IV dosage accordingly.
The automated IV pumps are beneficial for those taking care of the elderly at home. For example, a nurse does not have to come to your home every day to ensure your drip has been set for the correct dosage of medicine and food. Moreover, an automated IV drip reduces the chances of a nurse or caregiver making any mistakes with the dosage, which can have devastating effects.
If an urgent dosage adjustment has to be made, the nurse or patient can do it immediately instead of having to wait for the nurse to make the change physically. Patients with chronic pain disorders such as arthritis can have IV pumps that can help them adjust their doses according to their pain.
Big Data Repositories and Wearable Devices
Big data is not new by no means, but recent innovations will take big data repositories with human health data to a new level. Humans are increasingly adopting wearable technology, and with millions of people wearing these devices, which constantly send biodata to servers, companies are developing data repositories like never before. Wearable devices are connected via apps which can send data in real-time as long as the wearer has an internet connection.
Wearable devices can track specific health or overall health indicators, which home care providers can use to monitor their patients’ health. Older people often have trouble using new forms of technology. However, since wearable devices only need the patient to wear them and download an app, their use is increasingly prevalent.
Some companies already have information from millions of users who have voluntarily submitted the information by wearing smart devices. Therefore, you should expect big data in healthcare to grow even more significantly as more people embrace the use of wearable and other smart healthcare technology.
As it concerns home care, medical institutions and healthcare professionals can use the data from the devices to monitor patients at home. They can use the devices from the diagnosis stage to recovery. They can decide the best treatment plans or adjustments necessary to best aid patients.
Smart Beds
Some people in-home care are bound to their beds. With traditional medical mattresses, nurses have to constantly monitor patients and make changes to ensure they are comfortable. However, there are now smart hospital beds that will make taking care of the elderly at home much easier than before.
Smart beds can help nurses track patients’ vital signs and even movement. The beds essentially give nurses constant in-house monitoring with continuous updates and information about the state of patients.
It can also apprise healthcare professionals of new developments with patients, leading to new diagnoses and a greater understanding of various conditions. Most importantly, they keep patients safe by preventing injuries that previously happened to patients left unattended.
Telehealth
Another way through which technology is helping shape the home care industry is through telehealth. Telehealth is the virtual offering of medical services through the aid of technology. As it pertains to home care, patients will increasingly be getting healthcare services from the comfort of their homes.
Patients can discuss their conditions with healthcare professionals via telecommunication technology and know if they need a new diagnosis, prescriptions, or treatment. Telehealth saves patients and healthcare professionals money and changes how home care has been done for decades.
The home care industry has been steadily growing for several decades, and technological innovations are changing it. Some of the top innovations in the home care industry include smart beds, drone medical supplies delivery, therapy for dementia patients, automated IV pumps, telehealth, big data repositories and wearable devices. What is certain is technology will continue altering the home care industry.
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