Total cost of dementia worldwide was $818 billion in 2015
When diagnosed with dementia, it often means the patient has to be admitted to a care facility, but that may not be the case anymore. Royal Philips and the Dutch care organization, Cordaan, have partnered to launch a remote care solution for dementia patients in Amsterdam who live at home.
“People with dementia living independently are extra fragile due to the cognitive impairment that they are encountered with due to the condition," Harry Angenent, business development manager elder care services at Philips, told HCB News. "Confusion can occur next to memory, thinking or judgement lapses."
"To take care of oneself can be a challenge," he added. "Enabling home care providers and caregivers to act upon insights gained from their lifetime is therefore extra important."
CareSensus uses smart in-home sensors placed in the bathroom, bedroom, and living room as well as on the refrigerator and front door that monitor the patients on a 24-hour basis. The data is stored in Philips’ HealthSuite Cloud platform and analyzed with smart algorithms.
It provides the clinicians with the ability to detect slight changes in the patients’ behavior at an early stage. If the patient leaves the house at an unusual time, it may be an early indicator that they are starting to wander and if they start using the toilet more frequently it could mean they have a bladder infection.
In 2015, there were an estimated 46.8 million people around the world living with dementia, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International. That same year, the total cost of dementia worldwide was estimated to be $818 billion, which is 1.09 percent of global GDP.
"We aim to prevent health issues becoming severe complications that escalate," said Angenent. "This could reduce cost of care."
Study results from Philips' programs that support heart failure patients in their homes with connected health technologies showed a 52 percent reduction in hospital admissions and a 26 percent cost reduction per patients.
This solution is needed for the growing population of dementia patients living at home instead of in nursing homes. They want to remain active participants in society for as long as possible, but can only do so if they are being closely monitored.
Last week, Philips launched CareSensus in the U.S. along with the senior care franchise network, Right at Home, which is commercially available in 25 locations of the market. It can be paired with the Philips Lifeline 24/7 response center to detect if a senior’s presence in a predetermined area is dangerous.
