Everything in today’s society is predicated on technology. At work, school, and business, technology moves the day forward at every turn. However, nursing homes are falling behind in the digital age.
Most fail to provide the necessary care with just 19 percent of Americans saying that nursing homes are an improvement of life. Despite these numbers, nursing homes are at a tipping point.
With the first of 77 million Baby Boomers reaching the age of 85 in 2030, and a projection of senior citizens to outnumber children by 2034, something needs to be done.
The Wayne Center has developed technology to alleviate the pressure and social isolation that residents of nursing homes face on a daily basis. The issue of social isolation has become so prevalent in the past few years that suicide deaths make up 18 percent of deaths in senior citizens, the most of any other age group.
The Aiva Voice Assistant was engineered to increase communication, thus lessening the burden that most residents feel. The voice assistant works with speakers to simplify getting in touch with friends, families, and caregivers.
This device is extremely helpful in maintaining social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also will continue to be in use to connect residents to loved ones that may be far away.
The Wayne Center has also designed devices aimed at restoring physical and mental well-being. The new healthcare technology can help seniors recover faster and regain their sense of independence to return home. For example, the Dialyze Direct is an at-home dialysis treatment for nursing home residents.
The treatments are more gentle and frequent, but provide amazing results. The Dialyze Direct reports a 94 percent reduction in vascular infections, as well as a 65 percent reduction in hospitalizations as a result of dialysis.
This coordinated kidney care encompasses dialysis, diet, and social support to produce results and a lower cost than traditional kidney care. The rest of the cutting edge healthcare technology from the Wayne Center can be seen below.
As technology advances, so must the devices and strategies of the Wayne Center. As groundbreaking and successful as the Dialyze Direct is, the Wayne Center is also developing a plan to better kidney treatment in the future.
The Kidney Project utilizes artificial, implantable kidneys that would remove the need for dialysis altogether. The artificial kidneys are designed to perform kidney functions that dialysis simply cannot treat.
Again, not only would this device help lessen the physical toll that dialysis takes on seniors, but also allow them to regain time and independence.
Similar to the Dialyze Direct, the Kidney Project is a dramatic cost decrease from chronic dialysis treatment. The Kidney Project is an estimated one-third the cost.
The future of healthcare and nursing home technology from the Wayne Center is a complete process that encompasses the mind and the body of elderly people.
Nursing homes are adapting to the digital age with the help of the Wayne Center. The new direction for nursing homes is a positive one. A direction that leads to quality care and increasing satisfaction among residents.
