In October RSL LifeCare welcomed Ken Wyatt, Minister for Aged Care, Minister for Indigenous Health to officially open RSL LifeCare’s newest nursing home, John Edmondson VC Gardens at Austral.  It was an honour and a pleasure to also welcome the many RSL Sub Branch and RSL Women’s Auxiliary representatives, as well as representatives from Local, State and Federal Government. We were thrilled to also have a member of John Edmondson’s family join us for this celebration.

At John Edmondson VC Gardens, technology plays a role in maintaining independence amongst residents at our facility. For the comfort and safety of all, we have a specially designed unit for residents diagnosed with dementia and who exhibit behaviours as a consequence of the disease.

Many residents suffering from dementia may have lost some or all of their cognitive function, however, their mobility might still be good. Previously, the technology could notify staff when a resident was out of bed and potentially at risk of falling. Staff were notified regardless of whether the resident needed help or not, leading to frustration from residents and feelings of lack of privacy, and to the additional workload on care staff.

John Edmondson VC Gardens has taken the system a step further. Multiple sensors monitor the resident once out of bed, allowing them predetermined times to move to, for example, the bathroom. Another sensor identifies that the resident is in the bathroom. Once the resident moves from the bathroom and back to bed the system resets and no notification is made to the staff. If, however, a resident does not reach the bathroom at the predetermined time or has a fall, staff are notified immediately.

“The technology we are using has had the effect of reducing the number of residents irritated by staff members checking on them when it is not required. It helps us ensure we are caring for our residents in a respectful, responsible way whilst helping them maintain their dignity and independence” says Luke Young, General Manager.