As family caregivers and friends caring for someone living with symptoms of dementia, we cannot help but worry when we are far away from the person we love. With the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainty of the times, inadequate communication made it even worse.
As much as we love and care about our Mom or Dad, wife or husband, it can get very exhausting to feel anxious constantly. Fortunately, technology has made it possible for family caregivers to get some peace of mind and assurance that their loved ones are safe.
Dementia-Friendly Technology to the Rescue
Toch Sleepsense, by Tochtech Technologies, was designed specifically for this purpose. This small, inconspicuous device keeps us informed on how our loved ones are doing remotely, any time of the day and night, wherever we may be.
Toch Sleepsense not only detects body movement but also keeps track of our loved one’s vital signs. Specifically, it lets us know when our loved one is in or out of bed and tells us their heart and breathing rates.
One of the features that we like about this technology is that it is less invasive than a camera. Since the device can be placed under the leg or wheel of the bed, it just looks like it’s part of the room’s furniture. It allows us to monitor our loved ones while affording them their privacy.
This technology also sends real-time alerts to “caregivers’ smartphones when a health or safety risk is identified.”
Last but not least, the information recorded and collected in this device, can help provide important information to determine and analyze sleep patterns and other vital statistics that can help direct care plans and medication adjustments. It can even detect a potential infection such as a UTI!
Dementia Community of Support
There are several dementia technologies that are now available in the market. However, choosing the right one from a sea of available technology can be overwhelming for a family caregiver.
As much as technology can help make our lives easier, it still cannot do everything and replace human wisdom, creativity, and experience.
As a company supporting people with dementia, their family, and professionals…we learn not only through our own research but most importantly, listening to the stories and wisdom of family caregivers.
Their experience on what works and what does not work helps provide invaluable insights on how technology can be further adjusted to meet the needs of the person we are caring for and the people who care for them.
As Dementia Care Advisors, we guide families on what technology could best work for their situation and the person they are caring for as a way to support then on their journey.
We have learned from our decades of experience to anticipate how the person with dementia may respond to the new technology, and how to troubleshoot if this happens. Sometimes we have had to use creative approaches when introducing new devices in a person’s room or home to avoid confusion or unnecessary stress.
If you have tried Toch Sleepsense in the past or are using this device, we would love to hear your feedback on how it is working for you and your loved one. Send us an email at [email protected] and in our next newsletter, we can include a short update section that may benefit other family caregivers.
Disclaimer: This post is for information only to let people know what support devices exist. We have had some of our clients use this device and were pleased. Dementia Solutions does not receive any commission on sales of this product.
