Mandatory Reporting of Assaults in Aged Care
A new requirement for aged care providers is being implemented to report assaults to the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner, the police, and the Department of Health. The new ““reportable incidents scheme” proposal was put forward by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC). The proposed new scheme will require healthcare providers to investigate alleged incidents in […]
Robots to Help Care for the Elderly
Focusing its attention to care for the elderly, IBM Research has created a prototype robot named MERA, which stands for Multi-Purpose Eldercare Robot Assistant. IBM MERA is a Watson-enabled application designed to assist the elderly and their caregivers. Developed in collaboration with the Rice University in Texas, the prototype robot runs on the IBM Cloud […]
Cycling Without Age
What a marvelous concept! An initiative to help older people get back into cycling was recently launched in Canberra… it is the first Australian Chapter of Cycling without Age. And in writing this article I remember a time when Reg used to dink me on his pushbike and all of the fun we had! Cycling […]
Mobile Games for People with Dementia
Well, haven’t games for people with Dementia advanced since I had the time to sit down and play a good old board game or enjoy a night of bingo! Thanks to technology, we now have access to hundreds of mobile games that help people exercise their cognitive ability with just a touch of their fingers. […]
The Importance of Recording Instructions, Treatments and Observations
There is a saying in the health care industry: “If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen”. This only begins to sum up the importance of recording instructions, treatments and observation. In the medical setting, health records are a thorough documentation of everything that a patient undergoes throughout a treatment process, so it is vital […]
Transferring Your Client In and Out of a Car
Reg has asked me on numerous occasions if I would like to accompany him for a little jaunt in the countryside. Each time I remind him (ever so gently) that he doesn’t have a car licence – or a car! But if he did… he might need some expertise is helping me in and out […]
Building the Reputation of Your Aged Care Facility
The reputation of your Aged Care Facility can never be taken lightly. In this era of social media, 24/7 online access to current news events, and a technologically advanced society where the majority of people carry a camera and recording device with them through their mobile phone or tablet – never, ever underestimate the damage […]
Maintaining Normal Blood Pressure
Abnormal blood pressure can be life threatening – and here’s what you need to know about maintaining normal blood pressure. Research shows that over 50% of men and women will develop high blood pressure (aka hypertension) over the age of 55. High blood pressure can lead to heart attack and stroke – and as I […]
National Health Care Code of Conduct
A National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers is expected to be operational come 2017. This Health Care Code of Conduct is aimed at health care workers, including aged care personal care workers. As there has been no ‘national’ professional standards in place for personal care workers, setting them has become an issue as […]
Ways to Help Your Patient to Relax and Sleep
Yelling “Get in your bed!” or “Go to sleep!” isn’t exactly an acceptable method to encouraging your client to relax and sleep. 🙂 Sometimes sleep evades even the most relaxed person – and your client or patient could be one of those struggling to get some necessary shut eye. They could be restless, or having […]
