Exploiting Technology In Delivering Evidence-Based Care Improvements
RGS Care Sensors
As a charity that exists to create better lives for older people, we take pride in providing exceptional care for those residents who need it. Our dedicated staff team deliver daily care to as many as 750 residents across our 21 locations.
We have been working with RGS Care since 2018, but since the pandemic we have witnessed a growing momentum in the adoption of technology across our locations. RGS Care sensors enable our care provision to go above and beyond.
They provide us with a more holistic overview of a resident’s wellbeing. After seeking consent from the resident and/or their family to have the sensors installed, we are able to observe motion, temperature, air quality, and sound levels within an individual’s ExtraCare apartment. The data from this allows the care team to optimise its care provision to the benefit of the individual.
It can be difficult to assess if a resident is sleeping well or to identify if other environmental factors are contributing to someone’s poor health when not using technology. Since using the sensor technology, our staff have reported that the time taken to investigate a resident’s health issue has halved.
Care Team Feedback
Care Team at Lark Hill: “They are brilliant; staff are able to see what is going on between care calls, which is very beneficial. They are easy to use and are a helpful tool for a resident’s family, if needed. The evidence from the sensors helped to refer a resident to the GP in one of our cases.”
Currently there are twenty-five sets in use across our locations, we have seen more than sixty cases where the technology has been adopted, 76% of which have led to changes to improve the quality of care based on the individual’s needs.
Team at Humber Court: “The sensors have been really useful in building a better picture of the resident’s routine, highlighting lifestyle changes that we can make to help them with their dementia.”
Case Study
Sensors were placed with a resident after concerns were raised around excessive daytime fatigue and unexplained weight loss. Over a three-week period, the collated data reflected a pattern of restless nights, consistent day time periods of rest, low levels of light, a high volume of overnight bathroom use, regular use of the kitchen both day and night in contrast with poor nutritional intake.
The Care Team were able to use the evidence to adjust care plans and visits to support the resident to be more active during the day, to get fresh air, to increase light exposure and schedule care calls around meal times to encourage suitable nutrition.
If you are a resident and would like to find out more or have a loved one living in one of our locations and can see the benefit of utilising the sensors to inform adjustments to care provision, please contact the Care Manager at your location.
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