May 2012.
Glenn and Connie Samuels had been thinking about moving into a retirement village for the past 8 years.
They had 4 wonderful children, all of whom were busy–they wanted to make the move while they still could and not be a burden to them.
When they finally found the village of their choice and moved in, they felt right at home.
The village served fresh, two-course meals with a barbecue on Saturday and a roast on Sunday. They also had a kitchenette in their room so they could make their meals if they chose to.
The provision of cleaning services and care if someone fell sick, as well as a doctor who visited every week, made the Samuels even happier.
However, things are very different in 2022.
Retirement villages that were once considered being places of independent living are now expected to function almost like specialised care centres delivering advanced care and round-the-clock assistance.
Australians like people in other countries are living a lot longer. The average age of residents is 80, up from 55 20 years ago.
Older residents demand greater levels of medical care and mobility assistance besides normal tasks like washing and grooming. However, a majority of caregivers don’t have the training required to provide these advanced services.
A lack of specialised training, low pay scales, and excessive work demands frustrate workers, causing them to resign and look for work elsewhere.
Despite their love for their job, overworked caregivers often cannot spend time with residents or offer them immediate support. Some of them are too busy to even engage with residents verbally, emotionally, or physically.
Left to themselves, residents often feel unloved and unwelcome, while others feel socially isolated. Many of them resent the fact that their needs are unmet and become depressed, angry, and violent.
Making sure they stay physically healthy is equally important as their emotional needs.
As residents age, they are more likely to develop illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiac problems, necessitating constant medical supervision.
At this age, they also become more fragile, putting them at greater risk of falling, which can lead to fractured limbs and brain injuries.
Falls not detected in time could even lead to dehydration and hypothermia.
With 2,200 retirement villages, housing over 180,000 seniors (a number that grows every day), it could seem like the situation is spiralling out of control.
But with eazense Powered by SOFIHUB, one of Australia’s leading falls detection solutions s, help is always close by.
eazense is a passive, real-time falls detection system and care monitor for the elderly and is based on unique radar sensor technology with AI.
Here are a few advantages this radar sensor gives you:
- Provides live fall detection (including low impact falls) and detects multiple occupants in a room without the need for a wearable or cameras
- Keeps track of vital parameters and alerts caregivers if values breach thresholds
- Constantly tracks body position
Medical alert devices like eazense reduce caregiver workloads by allowing them to provide assistance only when most required, leaving them more time to interact with residents, address their concerns more fully, and make them feel at home.
Residents who are well-cared for and have aid rushed to them when needed, regain their sense of dignity and feel like they’re part of a family.
Visit SOFIHUB to know more about eazense.