Since the release of the findings in the 2021 Royal Commission into the Aged Care Quality and Safety, there has been an increased focus on providing better ICT for aged care facilities and their clients – and quite rightfully so. After all, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Population Projections, “by 2050, around one quarter of all Australians will be aged 65 years and over…” So it stands to reason that our increasingly ageing population and those who work to support them – should have access to the very best in networking, systems, devices and tools that help to facilitate a better lifestyle and pave the way for better care.
How can better investment in ICT help the elderly and aged care as an industry?
Often, the biggest challenges in developing Aged Care organisational ICT are budgetary restrictions and resistance to shifting to new technologies and systems. But it’s important to remember there are so many areas in aged care that can benefit from better ICT like the following;
Communication
Access to communications for aged care residents is so important. For example to be able to speak to families and care-givers through video-calling, mobile devices, phone systems setup and wi-fi. These can also be setup to work throughout personal and communal areas in aged care facilities.
Independence
For the elderly to retain a sense of independence and move around facilities more freely, organisations need to have location services setup and with the ability to contact when needed.
Entertainment
Accessing the internet for entertainment such as streaming services, music and gaming can bring fun and enjoyment to residents and their families when they come to visit.
Security
Fitted security gates and alarms, easy-to-use personal duress devices and on-call/mobile call devices are really important for the elderly in these facilities so that they can feel safe and access assistance when they need it most.
Healthcare
Having ready and easy access to personalised care plans, tele-health services, prescriptions, medical professionals, allied health, counsellors and medical equipment can all be organised through better ICT systems.
Staff
Better mobility, networking and devices can assist with staff rostering, on call support, keeping up to date on compliance and online training platforms.
How can Insite help?
We have a lot of experience when it comes to helping aged care businesses. We specialise in enabling organisations to deliver top-tier care across multiple sites and environments while remaining compliant with Aged Care quality and safety regulations.
Technology can have an enormous impact on the health, safety and social connections of residents, and their families as well as workers so it’s important to go with a service provider who understands your needs.
Our expertise in Aged Care solutions extends to:
- Wi-Fi networks including indoor, outdoor, multi-story and resident housing.
- Complex network design with built in redundancy to ensure access to critical care data and support calls.
- Network security, mobile endpoint protection, single sign on authentication and security cameras.
- Real-time location and trace intelligence through our custom mobile applications, wearables, asset tags and simplex to complex geofencing designs.
If you’d like information about how we can help your business with our Aged Care Solutions or any of our other services, get in touch with us today.
