DHW speaker to explore balancing innovation and human connection in Aged Care

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth 

Technology has an important role to play in enhancing aged care rather than replacing the human element as the sector faces workforce challenges and growing demand, says the Aged Care Assocation chief executive.

Tracey Martin is speaking at Digital Health Week this November in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

She believes in using technology to "release humans to be as human as possible" and has recently seen interesting uses of robotic companions and virtual assistants in aged care which are working well, but says these could never replace caregivers.

"Care particularly is a human thing," she tells eHealthNews. 

"The hype that is being built is that technology will solve all of our staffing problems, but that is not going to happen."

Martin says virtual care is particularly useful for rural and regional areas where access to general practitioners and registered nurses is limited, but regulation and contractual arrangements are currently barriers to using more virtual services.

Dementia care is another area that can significantly benefit from new innovations as projections are that one in four New Zealanders will have the condition within the next 25 years. 

Technology can help give people with dementia more independence by shifting from secure units to secure grounds models, enabled by Bluetooth technology connected to door and gate locking systems.

"Technology is allowing us to give greater freedoms to those who need to be secure," Martin says.

She adds that parts of the aged care sector face financial barriers when it comes to adopting new technologies, even when these would ultimately save money by making them more efficient.

Smaller operators, including charities, not-for-profits, and rural providers, make up around 60 percent of the aged residential care community, but they have little financial capacity to invest.

"They are so under the pump and the funding model is broken, so just staying across what is available and what is possible is a challenge for them,” says Martin.

Register for Digital Health Week to hear more from Tracey and other inspiring health leaders. Earlybird pricing finishes October 31.

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more Event news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page