New 'smart' Homes For Dementia Sufferers

[Margarita]

Two trial systems installed in care homes in London and the West Country have now been operating successfully for over a year.

They are providing clear evidence that, if installed in domestic properties, systems like this could help people with dementia live safely and with more control over their lives. They could be particularly useful where sufferers live on their own.

The key will be to tailor them to individual requirements and ensure that they act as much like a live-in carer as possible. For example, voice-prompts can utilise the voices of relatives or friends to deliver reassuring messages, as well as to influence behaviour.

The systems are also designed to be monitored remotely via computer by healthcare professionals.

Professor Orpwood says: "The next step is to make sure the systems can be managed by non-technical local authority carers and healthcare staff. If manufacturers can be brought on board, we could see systems in people's houses within five years or so."

Evaluation of the two trial systems is currently being funded by two medical charities.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/141316.php.

sounds really good.

 

[jenniferpa]

Yes it does only...

With regard to the voice prompts - I made use of some motion detecting gadgets that said things like "Mummy, remember to lock this door" in my voice, and I had to turn them off because she simply could not understand how my disembodied voice could be there, but not me. Caused tremendous confusion, so I think for choice it might be better if these messages were recorded by non specific voices.

 

[Margarita]

she simply could not understand how my disembodied voice could be there, but not me. Caused tremendous confusion, so I think for choice it might be better if these messages were recorded by non specific voices.

Thats a good point .

I was wondering if those smart' Homes For Dementia Sufferers would be best suited for when they are in the early stages , while they can still retain new information so would learn to get use to it while it all progress, So would not get paranoid if they heard a disembodied voice.

I made use of some motion detecting gadgets that said things like "Mummy, remember to lock this door"

how long, what stage was your mother using it, before she became confused ?

 

[jenniferpa]

Immediately, essentially. I had several phone calls where I would be talking to her, she would go off trigger the motion detector and I would hear these bizarre conversations. I don't think she would ever have got used to them, and since her problems started suddenly with a stroke, there wasn't a lead in period.

I think you're correct that maybe it would work better if someone could get used to the system before they got too ill, although they might be irritated by them if they were slightly competent: people do get irritated by bossy voices telling them what to do (I've had cars like that).

 

[Margarita]

people do get irritated by bossy voices telling them what to do (I've had cars like that).

......

Shame really that I never saw the link before yesterday , as they had a showcase event, held on Wednesday 4th March at London's Olympia Conference Centre, which is not far away from me .

I would of love to seen how it work .

Now on the TV they are showing TV adverts , advertising BUPA for people with Dementia . Never seen that before being advertise on UK TV, saying go to this link to get a free dementia guide .

http://www.bupacarehomes.co.uk/asp/guidance/dementia.asp

 

[Margarita]

It even tell you What the state will normally provide

http://www.bupacarehomes.co.uk/asp/guidance/paying.asp#01

 

[Tender Face]

Thanks for the 'smart homes' link Maggie .....

Love the theory ... not sure about the practice ..... I guess for some it would suit ... and others not .... it's keeping that respect that all are unique I guess and not letting anyone (SSD in mind!) thinking we might have a 'global solution' to very different individual needs and seeing technology as a subsitute ......?

Very interested in the BUPA link as I looked at a BUPA care home for mum ..... and it's not quite clear from their pages whether the 'insurance' option covers dementia care ... in fact I think it fudges the traditional 'BUPA' private health insurance many of us in the UK may have come across and the 'business' of BUPA care homes .....

The less I say about my observations of the dementia and nursing units at the BUPA Care Home I visited, perhaps the better ..... but words like 'clinical', 'anonymous' and 'soulless' spring to mind ....(in spite of their glossy brochure telling me otherwise) ..... perhaps the other 160 odd around the country are better and had more 'soul' than the one I viewed? If it had been free I wouldn't have wanted my mother live out her last days there .....

I understand BUPA are 'not-for-profit' but they seem terribly business-like?

Just my thoughts ... Karen