The world of care is changing today – not just for those with health issues and disabilities, but also for the older members of our community who might need a little more support when maintaining their independence. As more research is conducted into the healthcare strategies that can help to improve wellbeing and quality of life for older individuals, manufacturers around the world have begun to respond to changing needs with a range of new and improved products for care.
In the past, care providers and nurses had to work as a team simply to help a patient move from their bed into a wheelchair, or from that wheelchair into a bath tub. Now there are countless options available that can make life easier for people who might struggle with day-to-day activities like bathing, going to the bathroom, or simply moving around the home.
New Technologies for Mobility
One particularly important example of how the world of elderly care is changing, appears when we look at the strategies used to give individuals more mobility at home, and in care facilities. For instance, in the past, nurses would have had to manually move individuals from one location to another, risking injury for both themselves, and the patient. Today, a range of hoist and lifting solutions are available to simplify and secure the process.
In fact, a ceiling mounted hoist system could mean that care providers no longer have to worry about using mobile hoists to move a patient from one location to another. If an individual wants to move from a bed to the bath tub, for instance, they can simply use a ceiling hoist to take them directly from the bedroom, to the bathroom. Mobile hoist systems, on the other hand, would require a nurse to carefully move the patient from the bed, into a wheelchair, then from the wheelchair, back into a hoist so that they can be lifted into the bath tub.
Not only does new mobility technology make life easier for care givers, cutting down the amount of time they need to spend with each patient, but it can also deliver more comfort for elderly patients too. Less moving and handling means fewer chances of injury, and more independence for the individual who struggles with mobility.
Elderly Care is Evolving
Of course, ceiling hoist systems aren’t the only example of innovative technology that could transform the way elderly people receive care in the future. There are countless new developments in the marketplace specifically designed to improve wellbeing and comfort for those who might struggle to manage their independence. For instance, floor sensors can be installed in a patient’s room to inform a nurse or care provider that a patient is moving around when they shouldn’t be. This can significantly reduce the risk of trips and falls in patients with poor mobility, and memory problems.
On the other hand, for those individuals who may be confined to bed-rest, new turning systems have been brought into the industry to ensure that nurses don’t have to risk injury when moving a patient from one position to another. These simple bed positioning machines carefully, and smoothly roll a patient onto their side, or into a new position when necessary, to provide access for medical procedures, or simply reduce the risk of bed sores.
While there’s still a lot of work that can be done to improve quality of life for elderly patients, the innovations present in new strategies for care could be a sign that we’re moving in the right direction, towards a world that’s safer, and more comfortable for our older residents.
