Preventative tech – Loreburn Housing Association

Loreburn Housing Association, in partnership with care management technology company CM2000, Edinburgh Napier University and Dumfries and Galloway health and social care locality (Nithsdale), undertook a pilot exercise in 2017, which used innovative technology in the form of wearable devices to act as both a predictive tool and an aid to active self-management. Following the success of the pilot, Loreburn is now beginning to roll out the preventative technology to all customers within its sheltered accommodation.

ARMED involves a low-cost wearable device that can detect early indicators of frailty, such as low grip strength, muscle mass, hydration levels, low heart rate and heart rate variability, by gathering ‘live’ data. Together, this data can predict the potential risk of falling.

By anticipating issues before they arise, the technology allows elderly residents to live independently in their own homes for longer, significantly improving their wellbeing and quality of life.

Falls currently cost the NHS in Scotland £500,000 a day. ARMED therefore has the potential to save the public purse substantial sums of money by alerting staff, carers and family to intervene to help prevent falls before they happen. This will also save money for other parts of the health and social care system in Dumfries and Galloway. Additionally, it will prevent the human costs to those who are forced into a medical model of care too soon.

From the data gathered by CM2000, real-time alerts (via email/text) can be sent to the customer, sheltered housing staff, carers and family to alert them that the individual has been inactive, potentially leading to dehydration, lack of sleep and the increased likelihood of a fall. In the worst case scenario, it could indicate that something untoward has happened to the wearer so that assistance can be summoned, if required.

During the piloting of ARMED, those taking part became more active and more aware of their exercise habits. Loreburn has also noticed that ARMED is a very useful self-management tool. For example, a number of customers in one of Loreburn’s sheltered developments are currently trying to get to the first million steps!

Following the pilot, within the first three-month period of ARMED being introduced in Loreburn’s first sheltered complex there have been no falls. This is positive both for the individuals themselves and for health and social care services in terms of the potential savings in avoidable hospital admissions.