NRC Conducts In-home Technology Pilot Study

Assistive technology equips individuals and family caregivers with the tools they need to effectively provide care, not only decreasing costs, but also increasing the length of time individuals are able to remain living independently in their homes.

“It is apparent that the assistance of technology is an integral part of the future, not only for in-home care and monitoring, but for assisting caregivers as well,” says Northfield Retirement Community Vice President of Housing and Community Outreach Shelley Holden.

NRC has taken a proactive approach in its pursuit of the best possible care by funding a six-month pilot initiative that explored the ways in which in-home and remote family caregivers can be supported with assistive technology. The study was recently completed using the GrandCare™ technology.

Study Overview

It is predicted that family caregivers will be increasingly responsible for the delivery of supportive care, making assistive technologies more important than ever.

To participate in the study, NRC identified several couples on campus that appeared to be in need of caregiver resources.

What We Found

Although each couple experienced different outcomes, our study indicates that:

• Medication reminders, drink water reminders and hand exercise videos were helpful, especially in those with Parkinson’s.
• Interaction and communication from family increased in some cases.
• The ability to upload photo slideshows was seen as a fun way to engage socially.
• Access to games was seen as an enjoyable way to spend time.

NRC is committed to the use of emerging technologies throughout the continuum of care.

For more information about NRC’s assistive technology services, contact Shelley Holden at sholden@northfieldretirement.org or 507-650-7335.

This story is from the March 2018 issue of Northfield Retirement Community's newsletter, NRC Insights. Read the full issue here.