Old Age, New Technology, and Future Innovations in Disease Management and Home Health Care

Abstract

The nation’s nearly 80 million baby boomers are about to enter their peak years of chronic disease and are set to become an unprecedented driver of health care costs. New technology, however, promises to enable a transformation in the delivery of care, putting patients at the center of care systems that engage and empower them and their families, directly connecting patients to care-givers, and personalizing services in response to patients’ unique needs, preferences, and values. Such care systems also offer the promise of strengthening an understaffed, underresourced home health care industry. Leveraging technology, disease management (DM), and home health have the opportunity to work together to more efficiently and effectively meet the needs of a rapidly aging society through better coordinated care that reduces avoidable hospital readmissions and other adverse events. This is achieved by positively affecting such things as home safety (e.g., falls), medication adherence, nutrition, and heart failure.

Older Adult Perceptions of Smart Home Technologies: Implications for Research, Policy & Market Innovations in Healthcare

“…Pervasive computing applications are available to predict a fall based upon a change in gait, rather than simply report a disaster after the often fatal event has occurred. Telemedicine or telecare is increasingly common providing connectivity with clinicians to improve the management of chronic disease in the comfort of an older person's home rather than in the costly surroundings of a hospital [4][5][6]. Other devices from the ubiquitous cell phone to intelligent everyday devices such cabinets, picture frames, kitchen appliances and toilets are being used to motivate people to adhere to diets, take medication or to exercise.…”

Adoption and use of Smartphones by the Elderly in Nigeria

“…ICTs offer opportunities in providing support and enhancing the daily lives of elderly people. Some of the technologies that have been designed for the elderly include ambient assisted living technologies (Sainz-Salces et al 2006), technologies to monitor activities of daily living (Bieber et al, 2010), health management systems (Coughlin, Pope & Leedle, 2006), and interactive "wellness" technologies. However, the vast majority of this aged population did not have the opportunity to learn and use technology during their younger years.…”

The Promise of Disease Management in Greece

“…Care coordination has been identifi ed by the Institute Of Medicine as one of the key strategies for accomplishing these improvements. Disease Management (DM) has shown great promise in reorganizing care and optimizing patient outcomes [1], and constitutes a system of coordinated health care interventions and communications for populations with conditions in which patient self-care efforts are signifi cant [2]. Disease management supports the continuum of care by means of advocacy, research and promotion of best practices in health care management.…”

“…Some points of attention for managers include the breaking down of barriers between departments, medical specialties and institutions, taking on leadership and constant improvement [2].…”