BUILDING BETTER AGED CARE
KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR MEANINGFUL PERSONALISED CONTENT AT SCALE INCREASING RESIDENT WELLBEING ALONG WITH STAFF SATISFACTION SHOULD BE THE GOAL
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he need to support all staff with efficient, effective and easy tools to provide meaningful engagement for residents, especially those living with dementia, has become paramount in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff shortages and added complexities with isolation protocols have reduced staff’s ability to provide the usual forms of resident engagement. Overlaying this challenge is the high proportion of resident admissions presenting with higher care requirements, complex needs and highly progressed dementia. While teams pull together and do what is required to care for their residents, the impacts are far-reaching and ultimately unsustainable. The solution? Packaging engagement tools that are easy to administer and have a big impact on the lives of residents— boosting the morale of staff and residents alike.
The right technology is key
This perfect storm provides innovators with a unique opportunity to design a solution that supports all staff, whatever their primary function, with the ability to improve overall wellbeing outcomes for all residents. To move the dial in a positive direction is to find the solution to personalisation at scale. Staff should be empowered to provide joy and connectedness with each resident they are serving— with the added benefit of staff achieving the reciprocity that will give them the energy and job satisfaction they need to keep coming back with energy and enthusiasm. Supporting technology should aim to equip staff to engage personally with each resident as easy as making a cup of tea.
It has to be easy
While COVID-19 has played a role in fast-forwarding the industry’s digital IQ, there are still significant challenges. Aged care homes need a solution that provides support and partnership in this critical area. Technologies should provide support to end-users through training and customer support staff who are experienced in and intimately understand the aged care environment. If a technology or system is cumbersome, complex or timeconsuming in any way, it is just not going to work. Ultimately, for a new technology that focuses on resident wellbeing to be successful and deliver impact, it must play a role in improving the aged care experience for staff and residents alike.
It must be evidence-based
For a program to truly have value, it must be shown to improve resident wellbeing, such as support memory, reduce dementia behaviours, and improve physical function. Holistic wellbeing is related to clinical, physical and psychological aspects of the person. Before a program is implemented, or during an initial implementation period, there should be independent analysis of its effectiveness. This will support any observations that take place, and provide a rationale for use of allocated funds.
Moove & Groove fills a niche
These were our key considerations when we developed Moove & Groove. It started from a simple idea—using wireless Continued on page 57
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