Article written by: Holly Clark
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Dementia is among those diseases or rather brain function impairments that have no particular cure. This means that the patients of dementia have to live with the symptoms of this disorder for the rest of their life. Most cases of dementia are, however reported in the elderly.
With dementia, a patient cannot take care of themselves as they used to be before the signs and symptoms were detected. They tend to forget or have a poor judgement of things. This means that they need a caregiver to help them sail through dementia.
Even with the help of a caregiver, there are always cases of missed medication, lost patients, accidents or overburdening of the caregiver; however, this is soon going to be a thing of the past with the technological innovations being carried out. Below are 5 technological innovations for those with dementia;
1. GPS Location & Tracking
A GPS tracker is among the innovations to help the caregiver and the patient. When a patient wears a GPS tracker, they can be easily located if they missed their way back to the house. Moreover, the caregiver is able to monitor the movements of the patient around the house and alert them if the patient wanders outside the premises.
2. Picture phones
Communicating is always an issue for those with dementia. This means that they are unable to call in for help in case of an emergency. Technology has come up with picture phones that come with large buttons on which pictures of their closest relatives or caregiver are placed so that the patient can easily call for help by relating to the patient via image rather than by names in the phonebook.
3. Reminder messages
Reminder messages are another innovation that will go a long way to help those with dementia. The caregiver records reminder messages and put in timer gadgets that alerts them when it's time to do a particular thing. For instance, the reminder can play out at the time the patient is supposed to be taking their medications. It can also remind them to lock the door when they are leaving the house.
4. Home care robots
Caregivers are normally overworked. Now, to make their work easier, scientists are coming up with home care robots that will help out caregivers with some house chores, remind patients to take their medications and also call for medical assistance if the dementia patient is unwell. The robot also acts as a home monitor when the caregiver is away.
5. In-home cameras
In-home cameras are another vital gadget. They help the caregiver to monitor the movement of the patient at home. This allows them to check if the patient is doing all assigned tasks, such as taking medication. Moreover, some in-home cameras allow communication whereby the caregiver can talk to the patient and remind them of anything they might have forgotten.
Jane Byrne, a project coordinator from a nursing home in Bray, points out that dementia is now affecting a lot of elderly people. Therefore, it is imperative that we find ways to help patients live their life as normally and comfortably as possible.
Dementia might be hard to deal with medically, but technology has definitely helped caregivers offer their services easily.