You’ve probably heard a lot about how technology is going to have a big impact on senior care in the future, but what you might not be aware of is that technology is already playing an important role in today’s healthcare world. Mobile apps have integrated themselves into our society so thoroughly, making everyday tasks completely portable and much easier, but they are also making senior care more expeditious, too. One app in particular is helping nurses and doctors to make more accurate diagnoses when it comes to illnesses connected to obesity, smoking, and even depression.
All of these things are important because they pose a big risk to senior citizens. Obesity is a serious health concern to anyone, but as we get older and our immune systems weaken and our bodies’ natural ability to keep itself healthy diminishes, other concerns pop up, like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and strokes.
Furthermore, these three health risks are all easily preventable. No one needs to smoke. Obesity can be fought with diet and exercise. Depression can be tackled by exercise, medication, and therapy. The app is custom designed for now, and it allows doctors to make evidence based observations. The end result is that nurses are far more likely to have this information, and make appropriate decisions based upon it. For example, a doctor can have a set of guidelines automatically put in place if they observe that a patient is a smoker, and the nurses that follow up with that patient will be able to have this information at their disposal, and make far more appropriate and helpful decisions when it comes to their care.
Test runs of versions of this app had higher diagnosis rates across the board; obesity was diagnosed seven times more often, tobacco use was noticed five times more often, and depression was diagnosed 44 more times than usual. This was spread out over the observation of more than 30,000 patients, including some that were not elderly. The end result is the same, though: diagnoses are being made more readily, which means that issues can be addressed more easily and with better results. Earlier treatments can also help avoid health problems later on in life, which is another point of good news for senior citizens.
There’s no question that a concept like this can be applied to an in-home caregiver’s routine. Having obvious medical data stored on the phone can help someone with the right training take appropriate actions far more often, especially in a time of emergency. The HIPAA paperwork and guidelines would be easy to figure out if a professional caregiver service was being used, as would any other red tape that might present itself.
What makes this app interesting is that it doesn’t revolve around diagnostic guidelines like so many others have in the past. It worked on evidence based clinical procedures, and it allowed nurse practitioners to be more aware of what was going on with their patient and have more information at their disposal. It’s just one more example of how technology is improving the lives and the health of elderly members of our families.
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