Senior Care Technology Review: BAM Labs, Connected Living, American HealthTech

This week’s senior care technology review features yet another social network for seniors launched by Connected Living, along with a major software upgrade to BAM Lab’s smart bed system that includes the ability to monitor and collect data on position changes. Two nursing homes have implemented American HealthTech’s EMR system that’s interoperable with their local or owned pharmacy.

Also, looking for a retirement home? Thanks to Laughing Bean Media, there’s an app for that, as the Vancouver, Canada-based company has released a retirement home finder application with a database that includes retirement resources across North America.

In other news, seniors who adopt new technology are found to be more healthy and confident, as they’re more able to stay connected with their friends, family, and the community at large, an Australian study suggests.

1. Laughing Bean Media: Retirement Home Finder App

Laughing Bean Media, a Vancouver, Canada-based company that specializes in mobile application technology, recently released the Retirement Home Finder application, available free of charge via iTunes. The app can located region-specific services for seniors, including retirement homes, assisted living communities, and memory care centers throughout North America. The searchable database currently includes more than 30,000 retirement resources across Canada and the United States, along with up-to-date contact information for all listed resources.

2. Connected Living: Social Network for Seniors & Families

Connected Living, an organization that helps seniors use technology to stay connected, recently launched the Connected Living Network, a social platform that’s being expanded into senior living communities across the country.

The cloud-based platform features an interface tailored to seniors that gives them secure access to the Internet, email, and social media tools such as video chat, photos, a library, and games. The company provides onsite services to equip computer cafes, menus, local news, and weather, along with providing the programming and training for staff and residents to fully engage with these resources.

Brookdale Senior Living, Emeritus Senior Living, Benchmark Senior Living, and Beacon Communities are among the senior living companies working with Connected Living.

3. BAM Labs: Upgrades Smart Bed Technology Applications

BAM Labs, the creator of the Touch-free Life Care (TLC) Smart Bed system, recently completed a major software upgrade for all post-acute and acute healthcare customers nationwide. The new release was done remotely without any intervention by customers and includes the nation’s first application to biometrically validate position changes through a secure cloud monitoring platform.

The upgrade also includes directional position changes for pressure ulcer reduction; faster alerts for motion and bed exits to reduce falls; and a streamlined user interface with automated turn reporting for improved staff efficiency.

“Our distribution partners and their customers have been very supportive in identifying improvements to applications and even new features we can develop to help professional caregivers and their patients improve health outcomes, regardless of setting,” said Steve Young, CTO of BAM Labs, in a statement. “In the spirit of innovation, we listen closely to our partners’ feedback for the seeds of potentially big ideas around clinical applications, and often for more practical ideas around staff efficiency and work flow.”

4. HealthTech: Two Carolina Nursing Homes First to Adopt Interoperable EMR System

Two Carolina-based nursing homes have become the first to adopt an interoperable system between American HealthTech EMRs and their pharmacies, using FrameworkLTC, to improve communications, safety, and compliance while decreasing administrative tasks for nurses.

Agape Senior, a post-acute care services provider in South Carolina, implemented the system to close the loop between its skilled nursing facilities, the pharmacy it owns, and its physicians. Now, both physicians and nurses are able to enter orders into the pharmacy system electronically using American HealthTech’s EMR system.

Clapp’s Convalescent Home in North Carolina is also using the system to connect with its local pharmacy, using a facility-centric model for managing orders.

5. Study: Seniors Who Adopt New Technology are More Confident & Healthy

“A new study suggests that surfing the net, using Skype, email and social networking sites helps older people stay “connected” with their communities,” reports Counsel & Heal.

“The study, which aimed at investigating how technology could be used in rural areas of Australia to help older people, was led by Dr. Helen Feist, the Deputy Director of the Australian Population and Migration Research Centre at the University of Adelaide.

“In order for people to remain integrated within a world that increasingly relies on new technology, it is important that older people are offered opportunities to adopt and use these new technologies such as computers, smart phones, personal tablets and the Internet,” says Dr. Feist. “Older adults who adopt new skills as they age improve their confidence, health, enjoy richer levels of social and civic engagement and are more resilient to life stressors and crises.”

“The study findings revealed that when the participants were introduced to iPads and laptop computers, they adopted the new technology without taking much time and also, there was 30% more ease while operating computers and the internet after using them over an year.” Read more at Counsel & Heal.