Passive Monitoring Technology |
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Investigators: Kimberly Van Haitsma, Kim Curyto, and Nancy Hodgson |
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Abstract: The Madlyn & Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life had a passive monitoring and nurse call system installed in two 27-bed households of their nursing home facility. This technology provided an innovative system of signal assistance based on resident movement. It continuously gathers and records data for each resident through an array of passive bedroom sensors, including bed exit, incontinence, and general motion detection sensors, placed for continuous monitoring of resident activity. No electronic bracelets or tags are required. Based on the system data, the software identified expected patterns of behavior for each resident and set up rules to interpret and respond to the vast amount of data gathered. Care providers used this information to refine and improve individualized care plans for preventative and proactive strategies. When a resident departs from their expected behavior, appropriate caregivers were notified immediately through silent pocket pagers, minimizing noise and contributing to a quiet, home-like environment. The Center’s Polisher Research Institute compared this system to a more traditional nurse call system in terms of impact on resident safety, quality of care and quality of life on the two households in the nursing home. Each household had both the passive nurse call technology and a more traditional wireless nurse call pager system. However, the passive monitoring system on one household did not initially provide feedback or calls to the staff, making it a control by which to compare the second household. Multiple methods were used to evaluate resident physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning and staff impressions. Assessments were made at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. |
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