In the previous newsletter we informed you about an ongoing project on the use of assistive technologies (AT) in the care of people who are aging, even those with various health complications. On February 24, 2021, a virtual round table with all project partners, stakeholders and representatives of the Zlin region and municipalities was held. At the beginning the main objectives and recently reached results of the project were presented. Then the discussion focused on utilization of AT and telemedicine applications in the Covid-19 period.
T. Necas, MD from the Tomas Bata Regional Hospital Zlin presented the personal experience with a sensor system and software application for monitoring Covid-19 positive patients on standard patient room (without vital parameter monitors). The monitored parameters were body temperature and blood oxygen saturation. Data were transmitted to doctor/nurse room continuously.
Social services Vsetin organization was represented by the director M. Pavluskova. She presented experience from testing of various sensors and sensor systems from the point of view of professional carers and clients of the senior/nursing homes. The main focus was on user acceptance, reliability, ease of use and data relevance with respect to the care processes.
M. Betak from Diakonia Valasske Mezirici presented practical experience from testing of sensor systems in home care and stressed the added value of online monitoring of selected parameters depending on the health state of the client.
In the successive discussion, the participants, in particular the stakeholders, expressed very positive statements regarding the project and its intermediate results. They appreciated that the project partners apply the client-centered approach and see the technology as a tool that can contribute to the reduction of routine work and open space for increase of personal social contact of professional carers with the clients. The regional and municipality representatives asked many questions about the pilot study and future implementation of the results in larger scale. We were positively surprised by the deep interest of all external participants. It seems that the Covid-19 period with all restrictions enhanced the importance of technology introduction in all types of care, in particular social care and home care, enabling continuous online monitoring of necessary parameters that might be different at different clients, depending on their health state.
Acknowledgement
The described work is supported by the project “Use of social innovations with the help of assistive technologies in the Zlín Region” CZ.03.3.X / 0.0 / 0.0 / 15_018 / 0015477 awarded by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic.
Contact: Lenka Lhotska, lhotska@cvut.cz
Authors: Lenka Lhotska, Viktor Kubat, Kristyna Hejdova – Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
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