Healthy, happy and at home

Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) has, in last couple of weeks, unveiled new broadband technology in Victoria that will enable clients to talk face-to-face with their nurse via a link to a special monitor in their homes.

Ultimately, the client will be able to send the RDNS nurse vital information such as blood pressures, blood glucose levels and weight via the technology. This information is then updated and uploaded to the RDNS system, allowing immediate action to be taken if there are anomalies or variances.

The $1.2 million project – called Healthy, Happy and at Home – is aimed at keeping people at home rather than in residential care or hospital and will help with challenges associated with an ageing population.

Although the telehealth consultations are designed to assist with clients’ wellbeing and medication routines, they will not replace all home visits.

Every year, RDNS nurses travel 10 million kilometres and make more than 1.8 million ‘at home’ visits to more than 35,000 clients. Of these, about 400,000 home visits have a significant medicine component.

Carol Towers of RDNS tells DPS News they hope to rescruit at least 50 clients to trial the technology, and says overall, the project aims to “empower” clients to have more control of their medication management; allowing them more “freedom and flexibility”.

“With the ageing population and reduce workforce in aged care, this exciting technology will also help the nurses themselves and it will be interesting to see how we go,” Ms Towers says.

Initially, the virtual consultations will be used for monitoring medications allowing the nurse to see the client take the correct tablets and dosages.

Funding for the project has come from RDNS, the Victorian government, Telstra, La Trobe University and Healthe Tech.

Do you think technology should play a greater role in the care of older Australians? Share your thoughts on RDNS’ new initiative by commenting in the box below.