At Azalea Court, Julie Burton, Head of Operations faced a challenging situation with a resident suffering from sundowning. His worsening behaviours, including agitation and aggression, were putting significant strain on the staff. Without funding for 24-hour one-on-one care, the resident was at risk of being moved to another facility. Julie knew that relocating him would cause distress for both the resident and his family, but securing funding from the ICB was proving to be an uphill battle.
“We were faced with a situation where the ICB wasn’t approving funding. They argued that because the resident was in a ‘safe place,’ there wasn’t a need for additional support, but we were seeing the strain this was putting on him and our staff,” Julie explained.
Despite multiple attempts, the ICB rejected requests for one-on-one care. Determined to keep the resident at Azalea Court, Julie decided to explore innovative solutions.
Using Ally to gather critical insights
Julie and her team implemented the Ally’s AI Resident Monitoring System in the resident’s room to better understand his behaviours and needs. Ally’s real-time monitoring provided crucial data on the resident’s sleep patterns, movements, and moments of heightened agitation. The insights revealed that his most difficult periods occurred between 7 PM and 11 PM, when he was at his most irritable and uncooperative.
“With Ally, we were able to observe his exact patterns—when he was most agitated, when he was calm, and when he really needed one-on-one support,” said Julie. “We could see he was most distressed in the evening, and we knew this was when we needed the funding.”
Building a strong case with data
Using the data collected from Ally and the Nourish care system, Julie and her team compiled a detailed report that outlined the resident’s needs and behaviour patterns. This data-driven approach allowed them to present a clearer picture of why specific, targeted care was necessary.
“Once we had all the evidence from Ally, we could show exactly when and why we needed the funding. We weren’t asking for 24-hour care but focused support from 7 PM to 11 PM when he was at his worst,” Julie explained.
This comprehensive proposal was resubmitted to the ICB, and this time, the results were different. With clear data supporting the request, the ICB approved the funding for targeted care during the resident’s peak distress periods.
Improved outcomes for the resident
With the additional support in place, the resident’s behaviour and well-being began to improve. He became more relaxed, started sleeping better, and no longer exhibited aggressive behaviour toward staff. His health improved, including better nutrition and increased mobility.
“I’m so pleased with the progress we’ve seen. He’s now sleeping well, engaging with staff, and even walking again,” Julie said. “His wife was overjoyed watching him walk down the hall to the bistro for coffee. It’s moments like this that remind us why we do what we do.”
The power of Ally in securing funding
Julie credits Ally Cares for providing the insights needed to secure the funding and improve the resident’s quality of life.
“Ally has been a game changer for us. Without the data it provided, we wouldn’t have been able to build a case strong enough to secure the funding. Now, the resident is happy, his family is at peace, and our staff can provide the right care at the right time,” she said.
This example demonstrates how Ally’s AI Resident Monitoring System not only enhances care for residents but also plays a critical role in helping to secure much-needed funding to support their well-being. Through technology, Julie and her team were able to keep the resident in a familiar environment, reduce his distress, and deliver the care he deserved.
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