MAKING HISTORY: THE ROAD TO A BETTER FUTURE
EMBRACING INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY NOW IS THE TIME
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he Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has laid bare the inadequacies of our aged care system. However, the harsh realities exposed, and the resulting Government funding committed, have given us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Collectively, we can bring much needed transformation to the industry, by embracing innovative ideas and a new generation of technological advancement to change the rules around how our ageing population lives. Australia now has the opportunity to become a world leader when it comes to both the quality of healthcare provided to its ageing population as well as the quality of their daily lives. In order to do this, the age services industry needs to do something it has been reluctant to do in the past—embrace and adopt new technologies. The Royal Commission highlighted that “to make continuous improvement a reality in aged care, robust research and its translation into innovative ways of doing things are sorely needed and must be funded”. Likewise, those seeking to innovate must embrace the insights and feedback of the workforce, the families of older people, and the users of aged care services themselves. Providers must ensure that the new technologies they create, the systems they design and the products they produce not only meet needs and requirements, but allow the system to outperform all that has come before. At a basic level, the path is already laid before the industry’s feet. The next generation to enter aged care, the baby boomers, are more IT savvy and better technologically educated than generations before them, and the expectations they have for their care and their surroundings are dramatically different. Combine this with what we have witnessed throughout the pandemic, and we see that the system is ripe for change. The willingness, and ability, of people of all ages to accept and embrace technological change, and the heightened reliance on technology to keep us connected with our loved ones, our communities and health care professionals, means providers need to step up.
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Cameron says it’s about getting excited and informed about transformation.
Together we learnt that rather than alienate us, or render us useless, innovative technology—software, gadgets, systems, even robotics—can help us live better and healthier lives. For the workforce, technology must become something that provides reassurance and support. New devices and systems will help to monitor the health and wellbeing of those in care; they will aid in their mobility, stimulate them, enhance their enjoyment of life; and they will become a valuable tool to organise and analyse data and help carers make the most informed decisions. Historically, the aged and health care sectors have relied on devices that can be uncomfortable, inconvenient and invasive to a person’s privacy or way of life. However, the technology of the future must blend into the lives of those we care for, potentially even being invisible to the aged care client or resident. Devices and systems must be human-centric in their design, made so that the user is monitored and cared for without being constantly reminded that this is occurring—providing independence, care, dignity and respect safely and seamlessly. Ambient or sensor-based wearable or nearable technologies can monitor the health and wellbeing of older people, triggering alerts if anomalies are found in pre-set routines or through the night. Motion sensors or speakers can provide alerts or reminders to take medication at pre-determined schedules. The recommendations from the Royal Commission, and subsequent financial support from the Federal Government, will have a flow-on effect for the age services industry as researchers combine to find the technology and innovation solutions to bring about revolutionary change for the aged care system. While we could look at this new world with fear or trepidation, the key is to look at it with excitement. Now is the time for aged care providers to reassess their systems and their offerings, and to reach out to technology providers for ideas and support. Things are changing fast, and those who fear change will be left behind. Cameron van den Dungen is CEO, Sleeptite.
For more information visit www.sleeptite.com.au
