By WKTV Staff
The Care Resources team often hears, “Now I don’t have to be so lonely!” when introducing participants, ages 55 years and older, to their very own digital dog or cat.
The digital companion is a care.coach Avatar™ on an easy-to-use tablet that provides 24/7 companionship, video visits, health monitoring, medication reminders and more. Measurable benefits include reductions in emergency room visits, falls, loneliness and depression that lead to improved health outcomes in older adults.
Garth Falkins helped Care Resources – a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE® – first deploy care.coach during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to support participants when in-person programs were suspended. Falkins says the remote health coaching and monitoring capabilities continue to be valuable today, in addition to the social-emotional outcomes.
“The device conducts daytime check-ins every few hours, engaging the participant to see if they are doing well, in addition to silent checks during evening hours for any noise or movement that could be cause for concern,” said Falkins, Recreational Therapy Manager at Care Resources.
“There’s a real person behind the avatar, not an artificial intelligence bot, on standby to interact with participants through the device so we can quickly get eyes on them and evaluate the situation.”
A complement to in-person services
At Care Resources, various technology-based devices are used to complement the wide array of in-person services the nonprofit provides to enable older adults to stay safe while living independently in their own homes. Falkins says the digital tools help staff better manage participants’ overall health, while providing caregivers greater reassurance about their loved one living independently.
“Technology is a valuable tool in our toolbox for older adults to promote healthy and independent living,” said Falkins. “At Care Resources, technology such as care.coach has served as an extension of our team, allowing us to continually assess needs and be more proactive, which is showing definite benefits.”
Those benefits include enhanced safety and peace of mind for both participants and their loved ones. With care.coach alone, Care Resources has achieved a nearly 80% reduction in ER visits and a 50% reduction in falls among participants.
Care Resources also utilizes It’s Never 2 Late, or iN2L, by LifeLoop, which delivers wellness-focused digital content intended to engage older adults. This includes games, travel videos, worship content, music and more.
Care Resources uses iN2L to enhance social activity programming and therapy sessions to help participants have fun while reaching therapeutic goals at one of its two West Michigan day centers.
Yet another technology used by Care Resources is Tovertafel by Tover, an interactive game projection system that uses purposeful play to provide social, physical and cognitive stimulation for seniors living with dementia. Games can be played individually or in a larger group at the day center to promote movement, social interaction and happiness.
“iN2L and Tovertafel enhance our programming and can be utilized for various therapies and educational purposes,” Falkins said. “We’ve seen the technology help participants improve their mobility and hand-eye coordination, among other benefits.”
Additional digital resources
For those not in a program such as Care Resources, Falkins says cell phones, phone apps and smart watches are a few common tools he sees used by older adults and their loved ones for health and safety monitoring and social connection.
One popular product is the GrandPad, a tablet designed to help aging adults enjoy calls, photos, music and games. Falkins has also seen families equip virtual assistants such as Alexa and home monitoring systems to check on loved ones.
A word of caution
While technology can be a great tool for health care professionals and loved ones of older adults, Falkins cautions against entirely relying on it.
“Technology cannot replace the need for human connection and physical touch,” he said. “In-person visits, hugs and meaningful interactions will always be super important.”
Find out more!
For more information about Care Resources, call 800-610-6299 or visit CareResources.org.
