As part of the Hereford and Worcestershire Falls Prevention Project, the Community Housing’s Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS) partnered with Ally to reduce falls and hospital stays at The Lawns in Worcester.
The Challenge
The Lawns faced the challenge of preventing falls among their residents, especially during the night when staff-to-resident ratios were typically lower. Whilst regular hourly checks were made by carers, this disrupted residents’ sleep and at times their independence.
The goal was to explore how our acoustic monitoring solution could tackle this issue while also enhancing the overall quality of care.
The Solution: Acoustic Monitoring
Ally implemented it’s AI Resident Monitoring technology into the 62 bedroom home and this was integrated with PCS which has resulted in both impressive results and significant impact according to Melanie Dawson, Home Manager at The Lawns:
“This kind of technology has been marvellous in enabling our residents to live their very best possible life. It is apparent that these kinds of technologies most importantly improve quality of sleep and not only reduce falls but also decrease subsequent hospital visits.”
“In addition to this, the system has released staff time during the night, allowing carers to allocate more time to personalised care and engagement with residents within the home.”
Implementation – a journey of adaptation and improvement
Introducing new technology and practices into the care environment required patience and adaptability which Melanie recognised “It took a few weeks to settle down as the technology learns how someone sleeps. In the beginning, it is very sensitive but as it learns different patterns the volume of triggers has reduced”.
The integration of Ally with home’s the Digital Social Care Records system from Person Centred Software’s means that carers receive alerts on their handsets and most importantly can listen to the activity in the room without entering to enable them to decide if intervention is necessary. This coupled with the delivery of daily reports has enabled Melanie and the management team to monitor residents’ sleep patterns and staff response times, as well as identify potential health issues and invaluable insights to deliver more proactive and person-centred care.
Results
The impact of Ally’s AI Resident Monitoring technology at The Lawns has been transformative. Melanie shared her insights on the outstanding results:
- Significant reduction of 88% less high risk falls – “It’s incredible that we’ve been able to drastically reduce the number of falls amongst our high risk residents and overall falls have dropped by 66% across all residents”
- Enhanced staff efficiency with 61% fewer checks – “By embracing this technology, our staff have been able to release 5 hours of time by removing the need for unnecessary checks. This means that they have more time to care for those residents who really need support and care during the night”
- Improved resident well-being with 34% of residents less restless – “Reducing the number of unnecessary checks on residents has resulted in residents being more rested, leading to a better quality and length of sleep.”
Unexpected benefits:
The implementation of Ally at The Lawns Nursing Home has had a profound knock-on effect, creating a more cohesive and happier care team.
- Optimised staffing allocation: Repositioned staff during higher-risk twilight hours, improving care delivery efficiency.
- Improved resident well-being: Residents are better rested, less agitated and more engaging
- Enhanced day team experience: Day staff report easier interactions with residents, creating a more positive working environment.
- Boosted team morale: A cohesive and happier team has emerged, fostering a supportive care culture.
Conclusion: The future of senior care is a proactive approach
Melanie firmly believes that technology is the way forward for senior care. She says “Ally’s Resident Monitor solution exemplifies how technology can deliver personalised remote monitoring that is proactive rather than reactive to incidents, ultimately enhancing the well-being of residents”
“At Lawns we’re keen to ensure we can strike the right balance between resident safety and independence. By giving residents greater independence in mobility, some falls were inevitable accidents. However, with Ally in place, we’ve been able to respond to these incidents quickly, ensuring prompt care and minimising further risks.”
“The partnership between Community Housing’s TECS and Ally marks a significant step in revolutionising falls prevention and care for residents in the Hereford and Worcestershire region. By harnessing the power of AI and innovative monitoring solutions, nursing homes like Lawns are setting new standards for senior care, ensuring that residents live their best possible lives while benefiting from improved time management and staff support”.