At Vidal Home Care, we love technology.
Technology has transformed many industries since its adoption into our everyday lives. Some industries were early adopters, while others were slower to catch on. Undeniably, technology will continue to play an increasingly important part of our lives as we find new ways to leverage it to enhance and improve our lives.
Below are some health-centric applications of technology that have caught our attention:
Philips Lifeline�provides a wearable wristband that can be pushed anytime assistance is required. It connects to a response centre, which will then assess the situation and call a family member notify them. (There is a limitation to where the wristband will work � the wearer needs to be within the range of the in-home Communicator device.) It is one of many Personal Emergency Response Systems now available on the market.
The�Dementia Advisor�app helps family caregivers who are providing care for a loved one with dementia to improve communication skills through real-life scenarios. Users can also get personalized expert coaching from leading dementia expert, Dr. Joel Sadavoy. The app was developed in partnership with the Sinai Health System (the Cyril & Dorothy, Joel & Jill Reitman Centre for Alzheimer�s Support and Training). and funded by the Government of Canada.
Silver�Wood, a rental complex operator for the elderly in Tokyo, conducted extensive interviews with residents affected by dementia and from their findings, created a series of Virtual Reality Dementia Experiences. The videos allow participants to understand first hand how those with dementia are affected, and hopefully, reduce the stigma that is pervasive in our society towards dementia.
There are numerous remote monitoring services now available on the market. One of them is�Alarm.com; motion sensors placed throughout the home detects movement (or lack thereof) and using sophisticated algorithms, detects behavioural patterns and can alert family members if something�s changed. It can be programmed to send alerts if an elderly loved one�s activity levels, sleeping patterns or eating habits have changed.
Medisafe.com�is a mobile app that provides medication reminders, and even indicates whether it should be taken with food and what side effects to expect. It can also alert a designated �MedFriend�, such as a family member, when the dose wasn�t taken.
At the risk of tooting our own horn, our all time favourite is our very own�Vidal Home Care�app.
Download�it today (or call 1-888-97 VIDAL) and connect with our qualified and compassionate Caregivers.
