The use of technology in the healthcare industry has changed the way services are delivered, particularly in addressing the correlation between the geriatric population and behavioral healthcare. As the population grows, the need for care for various disorders, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, depression, and anxiety, is also more in demand.
Technology plays an important role in providing new innovative solutions for the unique challenges of caring for geriatric behavioral health patients and highlights the necessity for technical approaches.
The geriatric population faces multiple challenges, including limited physical motion, cognitive decline, and mental health disorders. According to the World Health Organizations (WHO), the global prevalence of dementia is steadily rising, with an estimated 55 million people currently living with the condition. Additionally, depression and anxiety are common among older adults, often exacerbated by factors such as social isolation, chronic illness, and potential grief (Gellis & Kenaley, 2008).
Traditional care settings for geriatric behavioral health often face challenges in providing timely and personalized care due to resource constraints, staff shortages, and communication barriers. Inadequate monitoring of patient behaviors and overall well-being can lead to suboptimal outcomes and increased risks, including falls, communication errors, and worsening mental health symptoms.
Digital rounding tools can improve care for geriatric behavioral healthcare units by addressing safety tasks, improving communication among staff members, and facilitating proactive patient care. These tools can improve the documentation process by allowing staff to efficiently record patient observations interventions, and analyze data in real-time. By utilizing patient data and generating reports, digital rounding tools enable staff members to identify trends, track outcomes, and make data-driven decisions to optimize patient care. By implementing technology in day-to-day tasks, geriatric behavioral health units can improve efficiency, enhance the quality of care, and increase the well-being of older adults with mental health disorders. However, digital rounding tools are not without points of failure, specifically related to compliance.
ObservSMART is a comprehensive compliance tool specifically designed for behavioral health settings, including geriatric care facilities catering to patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. ObservSMART stands out as a leading solution, providing validated compliance, improving and promoting staff-patient interactions, creating safe environments and efficiency, and reducing falls in geriatric care settings. The technology addresses many of the shortcomings of traditional and digital safety methods used in geriatric behavioral health care. ObservSMART ensures safety with proximity-required monitoring of patients and the patient’s environment, adherence of staff to patient proximity, prevention of falling asleep for 1:1, and continuous monitoring.
Unique features of this technology include supervisory alerts when required checks are missed, encouraging proactive intervention. ObservSMART promotes staff engagement, and patients are actually seen more often than with traditional methods, which can improve well-being and reduce falls.
Improving Geriatric Behavioral Health Care
Through validated rounding and documentation of patient behaviors, staff members can gain valuable insights into each patient’s needs, preferences, and patterns of behavior. This increased awareness allows for more personalized care plans and interventions, leading to improved patient engagement and satisfaction.
Effective medication management is crucial in managing geriatric mental health conditions, yet it can be challenging to track medication adherence and efficacy in traditional care settings.
Technology can streamline the medication management process and specify which medications work best per patient by monitoring behavioral patterns and side effects. Staff members can easily identify trends and patterns in medication use, enabling them to make more informed decisions about medication adjustments and interventions.
Fall Prevention and Safety Protocols
Geriatric patients, particularly those with cognitive impairments, are at increased risk of falls and injuries due to mobility issues, confusion, and environmental hazards. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls among adults ages 65 and older are the leading cause of injury death. Falls are a common but threatening issue in geriatric units.
The ObservSMART solution includes specialized features and modules, such as tighter rounding intervals, risk flags, assessments, environment of care, and fall protocols, that help staff members implement proactive measures to prevent falls and ensure patient safety. In a 2019 case study, a large California behavioral health facility saw a 20% decrease in falls within six months of implementation of the ObservSMART technology, and in a 12-month post-implementation study, a Pennsylvania hospital saw falls decrease by 15% and falls with harm by 60%. This improvement was achieved despite a 15% increase in the number of admissions. Prompting staff to interact with patients at regular intervals and address their needs promptly reduces the likelihood of accidents and promotes a safer care environment.
Technology solutions have the potential to be a game-changer for geriatric behavioral health units by improving staff-patient interactions and preventing falls and injuries. As the demand for quality geriatric care continues to rise, integrating innovative technologies into behavioral healthcare settings will be essential for meeting the growing needs of older adults with mental health disorders. By leveraging the power of technology, geriatric patients can receive the personalized, safe, quality care they deserve.
Technologies like ObservSMART are determined to find a solution to ensure adherence to safety protocols and positively influence patient care. For more information, reach out to cshows@invisalertsolutions.com or visit www.observsmart.com.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About Older Adults Fall Prevention. Retrieved from cdc.gov/falls/about/index.html
Gellis, Z. D., & Kenaley, B. (2008). Problem-solving therapy for depression in adults: A systematic review. Retrieved from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK75569/
ObservSMART. (2022). ObservSMART Promotes Intentional Patient Rounding – Improving Patient Safety and Reducing Falls. Retrieved from observsmart.com/observsmart-promotes-intentional-patient-rounding-improving-patient-safety-and-reducing-falls/
World Health Organization. (2023). Dementia. Retrieved from who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia
