In recent years, digital technology has revolutionised various sectors, and healthcare is no exception. Thanks to technological advances, this field has undergone a significant transformation, improving people’s quality of life and optimising healthcare processes. Legrand Care explores the benefits of digital technology in the healthcare sector. It explores how it has positively impacted patients and healthcare professionals.
What are the 7 quality of life improvements?
Access to information and efficient management: Digital technology has enabled efficient collection, storage and access of large amounts of medical information. Healthcare professionals can access electronic medical records, patient records and epidemiological data quickly and securely. This streamlines diagnostic and treatment processes, improving care and avoiding errors arising from manual document management.
Telemedicine and remote care: Telemedicine has been one of the most prominent innovations in the health and social care sector. Thanks to digital technology, patients can receive medical care remotely, without traveling. Video consultations, real-time exchange of medical information and remote monitoring of patients enable fast, accessible and personalised care, especially for those living in rural areas or who have mobility difficulties.
Monitoring and continuous care: Connected devices and biometric sensors enable remote patient monitoring. These devices can collect real-time data on blood pressure, blood glucose, heart rate, among others. Healthcare professionals can constantly monitor patients’ progress, detect health problems at early stages and provide timely interventions. This improves quality of life and avoiding unnecessary hospitalisations.
Automation of administrative processes: Digital technology has simplified and automated many administrative processes in the health and social care sector. Appointment management, patient records, billing and inventory control can now be performed more efficiently. This reduces administration workload and allows healthcare professionals to spend more time on direct patient care.
Improved communication and collaboration: Digital tools have improved communication and collaboration between health and social care actors. Healthcare professionals can exchange information and opinions quickly and securely through messaging systems and online collaboration platforms. This fosters greater coordination and teamwork, resulting in more comprehensive and efficient care for patients.
Health promotion and disease prevention: Digital technology has enabled the development of applications and devices focused on health promotion and disease prevention. These tools provide information.
Telecare devices: offer increased autonomy and peace of mind to older people and their relatives with connected devices and sensors that allow for continuous monitoring of people’s well-being with detectors and alarms in case of emergency.
Companies such as Legrand Care manufacture telecare devices such as the NOVO to help elderly people and their families have a better quality of life.
Legrand Care, as headline sponsor, attended TSA’s ITEC Conference, an industry leading two-day event dedicated to helping social care, housing, health, and TEC professionals deliver proactive and preventative digital services.
Those attending this event had the opportunity to access high quality plenary presentations with a strategic focus, innovation highlights and a leaders lounge, all with the aim of enhancing networking, promoting technological solutions and sharing ideas.
There were two speaking slots; day 1 was a session around Unlocking the Power of Data Integration in Technology Enabled Care and was led by Saeed Choudhary, R&D Director, where he discussed the need for data security and the importance of data integration within technology enabled care. The second was a panel discussion on day 2 around Future Workforce and the speaker for this session was Key Accounts Manager, Lisa Daughtrey, who talked about the need to understand digital maturity in the workforce and removing the fear of digital technology.
Also, Legrand Care showcased its latest innovations, for example, on Grouped Living the new Infinity solution was exhibited, for Answerlink the new mCare responder App was demonstrated and for Independent Living, NOVO Go and the new Dynamic Fall Detector were presented.
This event once again hosted its annual gala dinner on the evening of day one of conference. This dinner featured the ITEC Awards, which celebrate innovation within the sector and the positive impact Technology Enabled Care has on the lives of millions of people in the UK. Five customer tables were hosted at this dinner.
On day 3 our sales teams from Grouped Living and Independent Living stayed on a further day to take part in NOVO Go training presented by Sofie Wergeland and Claes Haglund.
Legrand Care as founding members have again agreed to support the TEC Action Alliance and they launched the new white paper at the conference and laid out plans for the coming year. And for the second year running our international management team gathered for the Management Meeting which was hosted this time by Arturo Perez-Kramer.
The TSA ITEC Conference took place from 27-28 March 2023 at the ICC in Birmingham and more than 1000 delegates passed through the doors of it.
Legrand Care was present at the AgeingFit 2023, an international event that brings together over 700 international attendees from more than 25 countries in the social and healthcare sector with a 360° approach to innovation for well-being in older age.
Through one-on-one meetings, conferences, and innovation pitches, those attending this event had the opportunity to meet with healthy aging companies, service providers, accommodation and care facilities, private and public research institutes, specialized associations and clusters, investors, health insurance providers, legislators, public institutions, etc.
In addition, AgeingFit had an exhibition area where Legrand Care showcased its Assisted Living and Independent Living solutions, such as NOVO Go, its digital mobile telecare solution, which received great acceptance from visitors.
AgeingFit is the first European event fostering innovation for well-being in older age, gathering all actors involved in the innovation cycle from research to market, along with the key players involved in regulation and evaluation with the objective to identify tomorrow’s market needs and promote today’s innovative products and services for healthy aging.
The event took place on March 6 and 7 in Lille, France.
In order to meet with the key agents of the social and healthcare sector, promote its advanced telecare system and share ideas, Legrand Care attended the IV National Congress on Dependency and Health under the slogan The decisive moment for the social and healthcare sector. Strategies to overcome uncertainty and position yourself in a sector of the future.
The congress offered a structure of thirteen individual presentations, as well as five round tables, in which some of the most significant challenges and trends in the sector were addressed, such as management models, regulatory uncertainties, senior living, home digitalization, real estate investment, home care and technology in the care, and attention of the elderly.
Gonzalo Castellanos, commercial director of the southern region of Europe and the Americas at Legrand Care, was one of the speakers at the Connected Home round table, in which he stressed that “the connected home must be a social and health space equipped with professional technology that allows service providers to promote comprehensive care for the person both at home and in their environment”.
Castellanos also endorsed the role of the telecare centres, insisting that they are “service coordination centres, as for many years they have had the technology and the right professionals to manage social and health services in homes “.
In addition, the Congress has been accompanied by an exhibition area made up of thirty stands that have shared with the attendees their latest products and services for the sector.
The Legrand Care stand focused on its advanced digital telecare system and brand positioning. Many visitors interested in learning more about the company and its developments attended this space. Likewise, the stand was visited by all the representatives of the Legrand Care distribution channels in Spain.
The IV National Congress on Dependency and Health by Alimarket is once again positioned as the benchmark meeting for the entire socio-health sector. On March 6, 7 and 8, this Congress was held at IFEMA (Madrid), organized by Alimarket and Nebext Publications and with the collaboration of Inforesidencias.
On this occasion, more than 700 professionals have gathered at the Congress, which has had 40 speakers, professionals and managers from the dependency care sector.
Dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks.
There are many different types of dementia, each with distinct symptoms and patterns. Some of the most common types include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies.
Symptoms of dementia can vary depending on the type and severity of the disease. However, some of the most common symptoms include difficulty performing everyday tasks, memory problems, confusion, mood and personality changes, and difficulty communicating.
Thanks to upcoming solutions such as those offered by Legrand Care’s D-POS system, patients can have their own space and move around the centre safely.
The D-POS System is a comprehensive solution designed to meet two essential needs in a care facility: allowing patients to move freely around residential and care facilities and facilitating the work of professionals 24 hours a day.
Dementia can be a difficult experience for both people with dementia and their families and carers. However, it is imperative to remember that people with dementia are valuable human beings and deserve compassion, respect and appropriate care. Residential facilities help to improve the quality of life of people with dementia and support them on their journey, as well as helping family members.
Dementia is a global health problem affecting millions of people worldwide, and its incidence is increasing as the population ages.
Tips for helping people with dementia:
Maintain a safe and familiar environment: It is paramount to maintain a safe and familiar environment for people with dementia, as security and familiarity can help them feel more comfortable and in control.
Encourage independence: Encouraging independence and active participation in daily tasks can help people with dementia feel more useful and increase their self-esteem.
Provide a structured daily routine: People with dementia can get out of control when they feel lost or disoriented, so it is critical to provide a structured daily routine to help them feel more confident and comfortable.
Encourage social interaction: Social interaction and social activities can be very helpful for people with dementia, as they can help them feel more connected and less lonely.
Helps with communication: People with dementia may have difficulty communicating, so it is very necessary to help them find ways to express themselves and be understood.
Adapt diet and mealtimes: People with dementia may have difficulty eating and drinking, so it is critical to adapt diet and mealtimes to ensure they receive adequate nutrition.
Offer emotional support: People with dementia may feel confused, frightened or frustrated, so it is imperative to offer emotional support and a welcoming environment.
Provide adequate physical support: People with dementia may require physical support, especially with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing and moving around.
Learn more about dementia systems by clicking here.
In order to offer professional and modern care, adapted to the real needs of users, Legrand Care solutions have been deployed in AndreasGärten, a unique project designed to bring people of different generations together and keep the future needs of the residents in mind.
Photo credit: baukonsult – knabe GmbH
Even those who do not need care today have the option to stay living in the AndreasGärten when they grow older or need additional help. If required, the existing care offer of the Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V. can be used. This intergenerational project has been developed in Petersberg in the heart of Erfurt, Germany.
Legrand Care solutions
The core of Legrand Care dementia care is an effective protection for users, since leaving a defined area is monitored and if required, precisely regulated access control in care facilities is possible. Dementia patients can move freely in the areas accessible to them. Legrand Care products are also used outside of residential communities. Through NOVO telecare solution, the user can quickly call for help at home. NOVO can be combined with the SMILE hand-held transmitter. With NOVO and SMILE users are connected to the home emergency call centre with the best voice quality.
Residential care communities
In addition to telecare, which can be used as an option in the 92 rented flats, the AndreasGärten also offers shared care apartments. Here, several people who are in need of care live together in communities, but still do not want to give up their privacy and independence. The wish to live independently in the own home for as long as possible, without being left alone and without help can be fulfilled here.
Photo credit: baukonsult – knabe GmbH
The systems can be individually expanded as desired with numerous accessory components such as SMOKE detector or FALL detector.
Barrier-free living
The flats of the AndreasGärten as well as the public areas, paths, and outdoor facilities are barrier-free, and the two nursing home communities are wheelchair-accessible.
Assistance and care for young and older people in the AndreasGärten
Services such as the Johanniter nursing service, which is located directly on-site, can be used if necessary. For the youngest, the on-site daycare centre offers appropriate care services. AndreasGärten includes public parks and open spaces, different forms of housing, a service centre for social and medical services, and space for meetings and events.
Digitalisation has had a significant impact on telecare, enabling greater efficiency and improvement in the services offered. Technology has transformed the way in which help, and care is provided to the elderly and disabled, and has opened new possibilities for improving the quality of life of those who use these services.
In recent years, technology has become part of people’s everyday lives. This allows us to bring digital transformation to the healthcare sector by monitoring and keeping the elderly safe in their homes without needing a nursing home or hospital, providing independence as well as security.
Thanks to independent living solutions in the home, Legrand Care can offer high quality digital services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
What are the advantages of telecare systems?
A clear focus: remote management of devices allows greater concentration on service tasks.
Remote management: thanks to digitalisation, the devices are connected via Wi-Fi, allowing remote control.
More information: an interface can offer much more information about the environment that a person cannot capture on a day-to-day basis, storing user routines and adapting the service to their needs.
Easily expandable: the connected home is adapted to incorporate numerous products that can complement its functions and provide greater security and confidence to the user.
Flexible integration: solutions can be adapted to any medium with an internet connection that allows communication.
Maximum reliability: digital technology allows the user a greater user experience with higher quality communication, making the transmission of the message more effective.
Digitalisation has improved emergency response capacity. Modern telecare systems have allowed greater accessibility and convenience for users, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the services provided. Digital systems allow for better organisation and management of data, resulting in more personalised and effective care. In addition, technology achieves greater automation of processes, which reduces errors and improves service efficiency.
Legrand Care believes that 2023 will be the year in which the digitisation of the healthcare sector will accelerate exponentially. Aware of this evolution, they have been pioneers in the development of innovative solutions that are making a notable and objective contribution to digital transformation.
In short, digitalisation has transformed telecare into a more efficient, effective and accessible service through the integration of different devices and services, improved emergency response capacity, greater comfort and accessibility for users, and improved efficiency and effectiveness of services.
As the UK’s communications infrastructure transitions from analogue to digital between now and 2025, there becomes a need to migrate analogue TEC hubs to digital within this same time scale. Analogue protocols are simply not robust over digital networks, resulting in an increase in failed calls which will impact the safety critical nature of your TEC service.
Openreach has a published timeline of Dec 2025 to switch the telephone exchanges and the lines in people’s properties to digital/All IP.
Things to consider:
Why can’t I just install a digital router or ATA?
How will I know that a user’s property has moved to digital?
Can I give someone a digital alarm before the property has moved to digital?
Can I give someone a digital alarm before my ARC is able to monitor digital protocols?
What type of digital alarm should I give them?
What are the open, digital, UK communication protocols?
What are the benefits?
Why can’t I just install a digital router or ATA?
When the analogue line in a person’s property is switched to digital, the existing socket that a traditional TEC alarm uses is replaced with a data socket. This new data socket operates via a broadband router which in most cases will allow devices such as existing telephones and analogue dispersed alarms to be plugged into it. For the existing phone and alarms to continue to work, the broadband router acts as an analogue to digital converter (ATA) and whilst that is OK for the telephone, it’s not that simple for the alarm unit.
This is because alarm units use complex tone-based protocols (STMF, DTMF) to transmit data and this complexity often results in the message being corrupted or rejected by the ARC and that’s when you will see a failed call.
Whilst an alarm unit has been designed to re-try if it fails to connect successfully to the ARC (up to 15 times), each time the call fails, there is a time delay between it trying again and these delays can add up to unacceptable periods where a vulnerable individual is not able to access help.
It’s also worth noting that the in-built ATA’s on routers are only going to be provided during the A2D transition (a bit like a Digi box when TVs were going digital) and not designed to be a long-term solution. So, the ultimate answer is to change the customers alarm to digital at the same time as their property’s connectivity.
How will I know that a user’s property has moved to digital?
An analogue alarm is tested on installation and then assumed it is working in between alarm and periodic test calls. This is clearly not ideal for a safety critical service but the reliability of the PSTN network, together with it not being reliant on local power has meant that in the main, the up time has been impressive at 99.9%. As an analogue unit will not and cannot proactively tell you that it isn’t operational, it means that you will not know when a customer’s property changes to digital.
BT do have safeguards in place and should abort an installation if a dispersed alarm is found to be connected to the line however in reality, the TEC space is concerned that units will be disconnected and not reconnected by the engineer, thus leaving the resident vulnerable.
We would advise you to combat this potential risk by writing to all your service users advising them about the analogue to digital transition and promote the benefits of moving to digital and encourage them to let you know if or when they are moving to digital and secondly provide guidance on how to inform their telecommunication providers such as BT that they have a ‘special service’.
Can I give someone a digital alarm before the property has moved to digital?
The answer is yes, if you opt for a digital alarm unit, it doesn’t rely on the home telephony infrastructure for connectivity and has a battery back-up for up to 7 days, should there be a local power failure. Thus, it doesn’t matter at all whether the residence has an analogue or a digital phone socket as the digital alarm unit will use its on-board GSM SIM for all communications to the ARC regardless of whether the ARC is analogue or digital.
Can I give someone a digital alarm before my ARC is able to monitor digital protocols?
Providing you opt for a digital hybrid unit that is capable of communicating with the ARC using analogue (BS8521 or TT92) or digital (SCAIP TS50134-9) protocols, then the answer is yes. This means that a digital hybrid unit can be installed now and once the ARC is digitally capable, the unit can be remotely updated without anyone needing to physically access the unit in person. We would advise you to only spend new money on equipment that is digitally ready so that you get a full return on your investment.
What type of digital alarm should I give them?
There are two ways that an IP dispersed alarm can connect to the ARC, one is ethernet (broadband/fixed line) and the other is a GSM SIM. In order to connect via ethernet, the end user must have a digital line or broadband connection and the IP unit will be connected by a cable to the router. There are several things to consider when it comes to connecting via a router:
The broadband network reliability is probably comparable to that of a typical PSTN network and for every 1% of network downtime, that’s 3.65 days or 87.6hrs where there is no connection. So even if the broadband is available 99% of the time, that’s still only 361.35 days of the year.
The connectivity channel is governed by the router and service contract that belongs to the service user so what happens if it doesn’t work due to a service issue, hardware failure or security incident?
Power – The router works on the house mains (plugs in) and has no battery backup therefore, if local power fails, so does the router & with it the ability to connect to the ARC
There are routers available with battery backup but remember, it’s not your router (so choice isn’t yours) and the battery only lasts for 1hr, and you need +24hrs to meet the EN standards for safety critical applications
Installation can be complex (firewalls, passwords, ports)
The location of the dispersed alarm is dictated to by the location of the router & this location may not be optimal for the service user
Security – the routers security including end users’ choice/strength of password is not within your control, plus data transmissions to the ARC will be over the public internet and your IT department may have an issue with this.
So, what is the solution?
If you select a SIM based unit that is therefore not reliant on Broadband/Ethernet in the property you will get the following benefits:
The unit can be placed anywhere in the property to best suit the service users’ needs and lifestyle
The installation is simplicity itself and just needs to be plugged in then remotely configured by cloud-based software. This plug & play, contact free (if appropriate) installation has proved transformational during the pandemic, allowing shielding vulnerable individuals to receive a basic care package without putting themselves at risk
In a post Covid world, TEC’s can transform reablement as out-patients can literally take a care package home from hospital and self-install (simply plug & play)
SIM based hybrid units are supplied in a bundle often with two years’ worth of voice & data connectivity as standard
A SIM based solution offers critical connectivity via a secure VPN connection which means you will have no concerns related to security issues, and your connection to the ARC will be end-to-end encrypted and therefore meet the security requirements of TS50134-9
The SIM is dedicated and locked to the alarm unit therefore cannot be removed/stolen or used in another device/handset
Power Failure – The unit has a battery back-up that can provide up to 7-days of functionality in the event of a local power failure & you will be made aware in almost real time of any issues related to the connectivity of the device
What happens if there is no GSM network coverage in an area where a unit is required?
It is true that there are some blackspots in terms of GSM network coverage, but these are usually when looked at from a single telecommunication providers perspective. When you overlay the coverage maps from all the telecommunication providers (Vodafone, O2, Orange, T-Mobile) the not-spots become few and far between.
The unit’s in-built SIM is true roaming and non-steered meaning it can freely roam between telecommunication providers, locking on to another signal and ensuring there is resilience if a single network fails. Most of the population can therefore access a good enough mobile signal and through the Government’s roll out of smart meters, additional masts are being installed every day to offer enhanced network coverage in rural areas.
Just because a mobile phone doesn’t show a signal doesn’t mean that there are no other networks available, so either let us know the postcode so we can remotely check availability or use one of our signal strength analysers whilst in the location to determine the network availability prior to a unit being deployed. Digital hybrid units have been designed to simply work in the vast majority of locations in the UK and it is very rare for this not to be the case.
What are the open, digital, UK communication protocols?
Legrand Care has led the development of European wide, open (non-proprietary) standards/protocols which the market has adopted en-masse to ensure choice and best value are achieved without compromising of the safety critical requirements of the space. The open digital protocols are TS50134-9 for dispersed units and BS8521-2 for grouped living schemes. Any protocol other than these two are likely to be manufacturer specific and anything proprietary creates restrictions to compatibility which restrict interoperability and ultimately choice and best value. The standards for safety critical applications remain the EN50134 series and all digital dispersed alarm units should meet them all in full.
What are the benefits?
Digital IP solutions offer significant benefits of:
Always being “on” and connected
Improved speed of connection (up to 10x faster than analogue dial up)
Reliability of communication
Simultaneous calls from multi tenancy schemes
Remote management using cloud platforms
Fast, efficient, contact free, plug & play transformational installation
Early indication of loss of communication
Increased operational efficiencies
Helping to transform the way we deliver our existing TEC services as well as the creation of new ones
The digital horizon brings both challenges and opportunities so, if you would like to find out more about our person-centred technology portfolio and roadmap that will deliver future proofed end-to-end digital solutions for you and your service users then please visit www.legrandcare.com or if you need a hand navigating to digital and would like to cut through the noise, we would be delighted to share our expertise and considerable resources to help you navigate your services from analogue to digital as your trusted technology partner.
To celebrate 30 years of growing telecare in the province of Mecklenburg Vorpommern, the German Red Cross “DRK Hausnotruf MV” held a great event bringing together guests, partners, and carephone owners.
Among the attendees of the celebration were Mr. Peter Struve, Chairman of the Board of German Red Cross Güstrow (DRK Kreisverband Güstrow), and Mrs. Janine Kiepura, head of Hausnotruf Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Also, Frank Theunissen, Sales Manager of Legrand Care in Germany, attended the event and was so happy to hand over two special carephones printed with the 30th anniversary on the front.
Mr. Struve and Mr. Theunissen have enjoyed working together since 1991. Back then the technical requirements for telecare were established. Finally, in 1992 the first carephone was installed and put into use.
The oldest participant of the event, Margarete Zippel, a 103-year-old telecare user, emphasized how grateful she is to have a carephone at home.
30 years of telecare “I’m so grateful to have a carephone at home” Margarete Zippel highlighted
Likewise, Ursula Möller and Vera Jarchow, users who have had a “connected” carephone for now 23 years joined the event.
Legrand Care has been part of a webinar focused on helping professionals in the healthcare sector to make the right choice of technological tools in the digital transformation process.
This webinar was attended by Miguel Angel Valero, professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Íñigo Ruiz Cossío, Product and Marketing Director at Legrand Care, Ana María Gómez Martín, Head of Strategy at Paradigma Digital and Gonzalo Castellanos, Sales Director for Southern Europe, and America at Legrand Care, who moderated the debate.
The debate began by highlighting that technological changes are currently taking place at breakneck speed, which sometimes makes it difficult to achieve an appropriate combination of the three most important variables that a person-centred technology must provide: safety, efficiency, and durability.
In this sense, Valero pointed out that “the fundamental key to making the right investment in assistive technology is that it should be a person-centred technology, a friendly, accessible technology, which does not invade the user’s home, but rather facilitates a connection with the environment, allows them to live independently and makes them feel more autonomous, more accompanied and more proactive in their daily lives”.
For his part, Gómez indicated that “to achieve a digital transformation, it is important that the technology chosen improves the user experience, is multichannel, and includes data intelligence”.
Throughout the debate, emphasis was placed on the need to define the objectives set when innovating in assistive technology.
Along these lines, Ruiz explained that if the objectives are not clearly defined, “there is a risk of over-dimensioning; it is essential that everything we install around the user has a meaning so that they do not feel invaded and watched, it must be a safe and accessible technology”.
The debate also made it clear that digital transformation requires collaboration between public and private services.
“We need to promote working groups where public administration, the third sector, industry, and service providers can achieve a constructive, sincere and trusting dialogue to avoid different rhythms and lack of coordination,” Gonzalo concluded of Legrand Care.
The event was organised by Infogeriatría on 27 October.
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