SENIORTEK - In English

The answer to the growing needs of the care sector

The number of elderly people in Europe will rise considerably over the next twenty years, which will result in an almost two-fold increase in dementia and psychogeriatric care in the years immediately ahead. The rise in the number of elderly people causes concern with regard to the capacity and quality of service resources and above all, the adequacy of financial resources because at the same time, the working age population will decline by around 10 per cent.

Service Home Concept - all-round and easy security

The Service Home Concept’s systems are approved, easy-to-use, quality products. The system can be controlled through a computer network and by using a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) phone.
The systems are handled through one customer-specific user interface. The environment provides clear user guidance all in Finnish. The subsystem hardware within the concept operates independently, so any possible error situation will not affect the entire system.

Service Home Concept subsystems:
- dementia and care monitoring
- nurse call
- access control
- video monitoring
- care call
- fire alarm
- DECT phone
- assault alert

The necessary subsystems are assembled into the Service Home Concept depending on the overall function of the system. Functions and subsystems can be added later, as can future new products, because they are designed to be compatible with the overall system. Therefore, investment into the system is both long term and flexible.

Special features of the Service Home Concept

Special features of the Service Home Concept to obtain information:

- nothing is fastened or tied to residents
- nothing is placed on the floor or in a bed
the staff specify the monitoring needs for each individual client, and these can easily be modified as necessary
- a special bracelet is worn during care call measurements

Adding a corresponding suitable subsystem makes it possible to achieve the same functions that are normally obtained by wearing a traditional bracelet.

A wide range of functions

Take a closer look at the functions of the various subsystems:

- The nurse-resident call system enables an elderly person to call for a nurse. The resident opens a voice connection at the press of a button. A cordless message passes immediately to the nurse no matter where the nurse is in the building. A voice connection is simultaneously opened between the resident and the nurse. When necessary, and with the client’s consent, a nurse can “listen in” at night to check that all is well in the client’s room.
- The dementia and care monitoring system monitors a resident’s movement at several different levels from the point of view of the resident. If a resident suffers from dizziness (and the danger of falling), the system informs the nurse when the resident starts to move or that he or she has been in the WC too long, for instance.
- The access control system is designed so that residents can move freely around their ward during the day. Elderly people who are in better condition can move about more freely, such as outdoors. Depending on his or her condition, the scope of each individual’s mobility and the time spent outside can be modified, daily if necessary.
- The video monitoring system monitors corridors and doors leading outside.
- The care call system is used to monitor in real-time the well-being and activeness of residents.
- The fire alarm system is connected to the overall system and it enables a fire alarm to be transmitted first to the staff’s DECT phones, thus preventing unnecessary fire alarms. In accordance with regulations issued by the authorities, the fire alarm also controls locking systems through the access control system.
- The staff also have their own staff alarm system.

Staff receive the information concerning the situation of residents and premises (doors etc.) and alarms from the above-mentioned systems on portable DECT phone displays and computer terminals. The nature of the alarm and the location (where help is needed) appears as text on the phone display. The system constantly saves information for later use when reviewing situations. A DECT phone can also be used to open doors. Alarms can be programmed into ready chains and be implemented according to the program specified for the time of day or night. Similarly, the alarm chain for the assault system (which protects care staff) can be programmed in different ways.

Guaranteed privacy

Social technology applications involve several challenges, and monitoring is controlled by specific laws. The Service Home Concept maintains people’s privacy. A nurse can keep track of a resident’s movements on a display terminal. What’s more, if something happens, the chain of events can always be verified from the database. An “automatic” security and monitoring system such as this one frees up more time to giving actual care.
A resident’s movements are monitored as an image on a monitor. Monitoring does not intrude on his or her privacy. No other comprehensive social technology solution comparable to this one has been implemented anywhere else in the Nordic countries, or seemingly in any other country. The Service Home Concept is ideally suited for many kinds of care and monitoring tasks (the elderly, people with memory disorders or dementia etc.). Other units or homes that are further away can also be linked to the Service Home Concept.

References

CASE KEMI - Practical experience gained from the Service Home Concept

Elsa Keränen, director, and the staff at Kemin vanhainkotisäätiö have a lot to say about the wealth of experience they have gained from working with the modern social technology since it was introduced in the
early summer of 2005. A study has been conducted into the social technology and a thesis has been written in the Health Care and Social Sciences Unit at the Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences. A brief summary of the study reveals that:
- The residents, care staff and relatives feel it is a positive step that no objects or detectors are tied to the residents, and neither is the privacy of residents intruded upon.
- Monitoring allows free movement within a ward and for many residents, outside within an agreed time framework.
- Residents and nurses feel that their physical safety has improved. The nurses firstly because if threatened by an aggressive resident, the press of a phone button alerts more nurses to the scene; secondly, the outside doors are locked and monitored so troublemakers cannot enter the building and the nurses can call for help if necessary.
- Unnecessary running around by staff and constantly checking matters to ensure “that everything is alright” has decreased significantly.
- The residents’ feeling of safety has improved. The system transmits information to the nurse if someone starts moving around at night, and he or she can go to provide assistance or knows that the situation needs monitoring.
- The pressures of work on nurses and stress have been reduced.
- A resident can be in voice contact with a nurse quickly whenever necessary.
- There has been no drop in nurse-resident contacts.

Based on practical experience, Ms Keränen sums up some of the feedback from the new way of working:

- moving around freely increases the residents’ natural tiredness and helps them to fall asleep
- there has been a decline in the amount of aggression in residents with dementia
- the real-time system means that a nurse arrives in time to assist a resident suffering from dizziness and a tendency to fall etc. when he or she starts to move
- a reduction in the need for nurses to run around unnecessarily has enabled them to devote more time to giving actual care
- several unnecessary fire alarms can be avoided

SENIORTEK - Long experience in the security sector

Seniortek Oy was established by brothers Pasi and Sami Nurmela in Rovaniemi in 2005. Before this, they worked in the security sector for years: building new systems, correcting and improving applications from other companies, listening to users’ feedback and further developing their professional know-how. Over the past few years, they have focused their attention on developing security solutions, particularly relating to the safety of the elderly and people suffering from dementia.

In 2004–2005, Kemin vanhainkotisäätiö [Kemi Home for the Elderly Foundation] carried out extensive renovations to make the home compatible with more effective service accommodation; the interior of the building was modernized to bring it in line with the current approach to the care of the elderly, and that of tomorrow. The home had previously used traditional bracelets and alarms, and there was a desire to get rid of several aspects of these yesteryear and current technological solutions.
The Service Home Concept takes into consideration the needs of the future, which has given birth to a new form of social technology based on the latest technology – the first assignment being the security and support of the residents and care staff at Kemin Vanhainkotisäätiö.

Seniortek has an office in Rovaniemi and another in the city of Nokia near Tampere.

Contact us

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Seniortek Oy
Koskikatu 27 B 3 krs
96100 Rovaniemi
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Pasi Nurmela
Koskikatu 27 B 3 krs
96100 Rovaniemi
Gsm: +358 44 5400 451

Sami Nurmela
Gsm: +358 44 5400 462

Kaarlo Aho
Kankaantaankatu 93
37150 Nokia
Gsm: +358 44 5400 461