Tag Archive for: Eden Alternative

alternative to loud alarms for senior housing

RCare is not only proud to be the maker of the most advanced wireless nurse call and advanced monitoring systems in the world, but we’re also honored to be a member and advocate of the Eden Alternative initiative.

What is The Eden Alternative? It’s a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for elders and their care partners. “In a culture that typically views aging as a period of decline, the Eden Alternative philosophy asserts that no matter how old we are or what challenges we live with, life is about continuing to grow. Building on this new paradigm, it affirms that care is not a one-way street, but rather a collaborative partnership.”

RCare's GeoPendant and The Eden AlternativeThat’s one of the many reasons that RCare supports The Eden Alternative. RCare’s mission is to improve the lives of elders and those who care for them. We’ve been diligently working at this mission since our founding in 2006, and our innovations in user-friendly, easy-to-learn technology have allowed us to help more and more elders and caregivers every year. We take the time to understand caregiving and the unique issues facing each community to build customized solutions that last.

One of our latest innovations, the GeoPendant, is an example of our commitment to the quality of life of elders and carers. An attractive pendant that can be worn on a neck loop or on the wrist, the GeoPendant’s first function is that of a PERS pendant. But the GeoPendant does a lot more. It lets caregivers define geographical safe zones for elders who need them. Should the elder leave that safe zone, the care staff receive an alert so that they can discreetly intervene.

Like everyone else, elders value their independence and dignity. Moving to a locked ward is a big step that should only be taken when there is no other option. For many, the GeoPendant can now be that other option. Elders wearing the GeoPendant are free to go about their day, within an area defined as safe for them. The only time their movements are brought to anyone’s attention is if they move outside their personalized safe zone.

This is especially useful with so called “mixed populations.” One does not develop a need for a locked memory care unit overnight. These needs arise slowly over time. This means that there are people who may need moderate wander management who live in completely open communities alongside many who do not need such assistance. With the GeoPendant, only those elders who need this type of care receive it, and they do so discreetly, without embarrassing sirens or alarms ringing through the hallways.

One of the truly innovative features of the GeoPendant is that it doesn’t use GPS. Instead, it uses the existing RCare equipment placed throughout the community to determine if you are, or are not, where it’s safe for you to be. Also, safe zones are not just defined in terms of horizontal area, but also vertically, for example by floor. This is because the device utilizes artificial intelligence. During setup it is taught where the safe zone is for a particular resident. The elder’s zone can be highly specific, even singling out precise rooms and corridors for in/exclusion.

GeoPendants are integrated into the wider RCare nurse call system, meaning staff won’t have multiple systems to monitor. If an elder moves out of a safe zone, the alert is sent to the high-powered nurse call system. Care staff receive the alerts on their HIPAA-compliant RPhone mobile handsets, just like any other nurse call.

Alternative to Loud AlarmsCommunities and senior advocates are increasingly drawing attention to the indignity of noisy alarms. They disrupt sleep. They disrupt daily life. They embarrass elders unlucky enough to trigger them. Worse, they may immobilize them, if the elders avoid activities that risk triggering an alarm. And, like the boy who cried wolf, frequent alarms tend to get tuned out, which could put elders at risk. RCare’s alerts are all quiet. Whether an elder pulls a cord, pushes a button, or leaves a safe zone, the alerts are sent silently to the care staff. Calls are “claimed” by a caregiver using the “I got it” button on the RPhone, ensuring that everyone’s call is answered, without carers duplicating their efforts.

Because the GeoPendant is a personal emergency response system as well as a location minder, elders who need both don’t need to carry two devices. In addition to discreetly safeguarding their whereabouts, the push button can be used to summon help at any time.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are currently 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, and by 2050, that number could be as high as 16 million. By mid-century, someone in the United States will develop the disease every 33 seconds.”

Dr. G. Allen Power is a physician and a senior advocate. In his book, Dementia Beyond Drugs:
Changing the Culture of Care, he argues that “care environments are often designed around the needs of the carers, rather than those with dementia.” This is an issue that The Eden Alternative is addressing. It’s important that both parties in the care partnership are respected and honored.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia doesn’t need to trigger an immediate loss of independence, even when it’s an effort to keep elders safe. The Eden Alternative challenges us to strive to enhance the well-being of elders by eliminating the three plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. RCare has accepted that challenge, and one outcome is the GeoPendant, designed to help elders live happier, more independent, more dignified lives. And at the same time, RCare is helping caregivers offer the best, most advanced care. For a small device, the GeoPendant is having a very big impact on the lives of elders and their care partners.

Rise up. Change starts with RCare at the Eden Alternative International Conference

RCare's GeoPendant and The Eden AlternativeAt RCare, we are not only proud to be the maker of the most advanced wireless nurse call and monitoring systems in the world, but we are also honored to be a member of the Eden Alternative initiative. In fact, we’ve been selected to showcase our products at this dynamic and passionate event in May.

The Eden Alternative International Conference challenges us to change the way we think about providing care to our elder population. It challenges us to develop innovative approaches to genuinely person-centered care. The Eden Alternative philosophy asserts that as we age, we do not go into a decline, but rather we enter another stage of learning and growing. Based upon this, EA caregivers learn that the caregiving process is not just a one-way arrangement, but rather it’s a collaborative partnership.

RCare’s mission is to improve the lives of elders and those who care for them. Our innovations are designed with the resident at the center, while providing helpful and user-friendly technologies that make the environment more comfortable and pleasant–and that ultimately lead to better outcomes. Every community is different, and RCare takes the time to understand the unique resident needs, caregiving process, and other issues, to build customized solutions that last.

A Quieter Approach

Recently, CMS issued restrictions on loud bed and chair alarms, classifying them as a “restraint.” There are many good reasons for this regulation. Communities and senior advocates are increasingly drawing attention to the indignity of these loud alarms. They disrupt sleep. They disrupt daily life. They embarrass elders unlucky enough to trigger them. Worse, they may immobilize them when the elders begin to avoid activities that risk triggering an alarm. And, like the boy who cried wolf, frequent alarms tend to get tuned out, which could put elders at risk.

RCare’s alerts are quiet and discreet. Whether an elder pulls a cord, pushes a button, or leaves a safe zone, the alerts are sent directly to the care staff. Calls are “claimed” by a caregiver using the “I got it” button on the RPhone, ensuring that every call is answered without duplication of effort.

In addition to bed and chair sensors, the RCare system integrates with motion sensors, contact sensors, and passive environmental sensors to detect unsafe room temperatures, refrigerator temperatures, and water overflows. And, of course, the system integrates with a full range of elder-activated devices such as push-button pendants, pull cords, and the like.

Setting Safe Zones with the GeoPendant

With RCare’s new GeoPendant, you can set safe zones for residents who need them, so care staff are discreetly alerted if and when particular residents move outside their designated safe area, without embarrassing alarms. Like everyone else, elders value their independence and RCare GeoPendant at the Eden Alternative International Conferencedignity. Moving to a locked ward is a big step that should only be taken as a last resort. For many, the GeoPendant can now be a better option. Elders wearing the GeoPendant are free to go about their day within an area defined as safe for them. The only time their movements are brought to anyone’s attention is if they move outside their personalized safe zone.

Each call made contributes to an incident record that helps staff tailor a plan of care for each resident. This record helps staff and families know when the situation has changed, and the care plan needs to change. It keeps a record of the the resident/care staff interaction, too, which is critical for elder-centered care and quality.

Powerful Data

RCare’s RMetrix reporting module has been redesigned to provide stronger tools to communities initiating and managing Quality Assurance and Performance Improvemenet (QAPI) and other quality programs. WIth RMetrix, you can measure important information about calls, such as call volume, frequent callers, and response times, that will help you improve the experience of elders and their families, and staff work loads. For communities with multiple facilities, Enterprise RMetrix provides a dashboard that makes it easy to compare facilities on key metrics, by day, month or quarter. RMetrix gives administrators the kind of reporting that turns data into insight, and insight into action.

Join RCare as we RISE UP at the Eden Alternative Conference. Together we are changing the nature of elder care, making it more collaborative, more dignified, and more satisfying.

Eden Alternative International Conference
May 3-5, 2018
The Westin Buckhead Atlanta
3391 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
Twitter – event: @edenalt  RCare: @ResponseCare
Facebook – event: @theedenalternative  RCare: @RCareInc