Using mobile health technologies to support safer client care in the community

Abstract

There is increasing concern to support older adults who want to live independently in their own homes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the integration of non-intrusive approaches to monitoring home care clients' activity level, along with access to best practice guidelines for clinicians at the point of care. A prototype Remote Activity Monitoring and Guidelines System has been developed that uses a GPS-equipped Blackberry to monitor an elderly client's mobility outside the home. The System includes a pressure-sensitive mat that is placed under a regular bed mattress and can monitor sleep disturbances, and how long it takes to enter and exit the bed. Client over the age of 65 with chronic health issues were invited to carry a Blackberry, and to use a pressure sensitive mat to collect data about the client's physical activity. After a period of 7 days, nurses made home visits to the clients, where the research member observed clinicians interacting with the prototype System in the client's home. The findings indicated the value of the mobility-related data to health practitioners when they plan care to address the aging needs of their home care clients. The results also suggested the usefulness and placement of the Best Practice Guidelines in the electronic user interface. The observational data generated information about the clinicians' needs and interaction with the prototype in actual home care setting. This study provides important implications about the value of adopting remote monitoring technology in providing clinical support to assist health practitioners' decision-making process when planning care for seniors in home care. It also provided valuable information about the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating bio-mobility information obtained through remote monitoring with decision support technologies to support safer client care for older adults.