UPDATE: Advocate fears increased automation in care homes
Cecile Cassista, executive director of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents' Rights, says she worries the automated call system being introduced in a Nova Scotia nursing home and expected to arrive in New Brunswick will result in increased automation in long-term care.
Cecile Cassista, executive director of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents' Rights, says she worries the automated call system being introduced in a Nova Scotia nursing home and expected to arrive in New Brunswick will result in increased automation in long-term care.
A seniors' advocate says a new nursing-home call system coming to Nova Scotia and soon to arrive in New Brunswick may be well-intended, but the devil is in the details.
The Co-ordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network announced plans Thursday to install the new technology, developed by Nova Scotia-based Tenera Care, at Parkland Clayton Park in Halifax.
Cecile Cassista, executive director of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents' Rights, said she worries increased automation in long-term care could replace the contact with family and hands-on connection seniors need.
"Hopefully this won't prohibit family members from coming in and visiting their loved ones," she said. "That has created a huge hurdle in these homes throughout the pandemic.
"Not knowing all the details, I'm concerned about the idea of robots signifying to seniors how they can get help. Some of them need assistance in-person."
Software touted to improve care
Tenera's call system is an indoor positioning solution and fully managed cloud service that doesn't require wiring or construction to install. It monitors locations of residents, staff, visitors, and assets indoors and outdoors, throughout the facility.
The software also detects hazards and is meant to help reduce response time, according to a release from CAN Health. Tenera's system will use automated data to help staff react and anticipate residents' needs.
The project's rollout is being funded by CAN Health, which has received $12.45 million from the federal government to build a national platform that leverages health-care organizations' purchasing power.
System coming to New Brunswick
Jason Shannon, Shannex president and chief operating officer, said the new homes his company is building in Saint John, Fredericton, and Moncton will each have the automated system. He said managers in the 15 communities served by Shannex in Atlantic Canada and Ontario will also look at adopting the software.
Shannon, whose company manages Miramichi's Losier Hall, Bridgeview Hall, and Parkland on the River, said launching the program takes a lot of resources and time, but it will likely be adopted across his network eventually.
"We have a project plan with Tenera now and have met with them to go through all the buildings where we need to launch and install the platform," he said. "I can say very confidently that Tenera will be in New Brunswick with Shannex very soon.
"There are a lot of other campuses that will have this technology. We just have to get there over the next few years."
Tech doesn't always work
Cassista said aging populations are less inclined than people in younger demographics to use electronic communication methods, and some people get overwhelmed when they struggle to navigate virtual tools. She said efforts to improve seniors' care should be focused more around existing policies than new equipment.
"I deal with a lot of seniors who don't want things electronically but prefer hands-on service and hard copies of documents," she said.
No impacts on nursing home staffing levels or visitation were mentioned during Thursday's announcement, but CAN Health's release said the call system's easy setup will "minimize disruptions and impacts to staff and residents during and after installation."