Often, at times of crisis, a decision is made to put an old person into a care home. But at a time when the NHS faces mismatch between resources and demand, we must look further afield for a solution to cure Britain's current care crisis - perhaps technology is what will allow us to do more with less.
Given the choice, most seniors would choose to live independently in their own homes, rather than move to a care home. But can a senior who is growing more frail with age and has chronic health conditions that require regular monitoring, continue to live safely at home?
In an age of technology, wireless communications and smart appliances, this has become possible. Technology designed for the aging population is enabling seniors to remain at home longer, with high-tech devices that constantly monitor a senior's safety and health. While everyone won't be a candidate for staying at home, I think we can all agree that more seniors could remain at home for longer, with better use of today's technologies.
Thinking of it, only a few years ago, the idea of 'hailing' a cab through our smartphones seemed a foreign concept. Then came Uber and Lyft, who today are the primary platforms for requesting a cab, thanks to smart and user-friendly technology. Regardless of age and even tech literacy, many understand, appreciate and experience the benefits of Uber.
With this in mind, what we need is digitalisation of health care; easy-to-use, Uber-like platforms that provide seniors with a seamless experience allowing them to book and manage home visits online, review and rate care professionals, monitor progress via smartphone, tablet or computer, as well as track patterns in health and wellbeing for illness prevention - for themselves, for their care-providers and for their loved ones.
Up until recently, none of this has been available, but I'm proud to be in the process of launching such a platform for home care.
Our unique technology will allow seniors to move from care-homes to real-homes, staying in the comfort of their communities through innovation. We will provide a platform where seniors, or their loved ones, can organise for care professionals to visit them, when and where needed, on demand, 24/7. Through data and AI we will be able to predict if a senior is going to become unwell, and help to avoid any deterioriations in health. Critically, we will revolutionise connectivity between seniors, families, caregivers and healthcare providers.
With smartphones, the power of healthcare can be in the palm of your hand, the means just need to be created. Technology can cure the care sector; and in just a few weeks we'll show you how.