However, without the proper care and supervision, residents who are known to be prone to falling, or who are at a greater risk of falling, should not be left unsupervised or allowed to mobilise on their own. The process is all about risk assessment and prevention.

Until recently, practically all fall prevention strategies throughout the social care sector relied heavily on human intervention; watching and assisting the vulnerable when they need to be mobile. Whether it’s a resident going to the toilet, entering the lounge, or going outside for some fresh air, caregivers had to persistently remain vigilant and on guard at all times, which can be difficult in large facilities and on a 24/7 schedule.

As with most of today’s professions and daily necessities, however, person-centred technology has completely transformed the dynamic when supporting people; alleviating pressures, improving time management and, in the social care sector, adding a layer of protection to resident health, safety and wellbeing.

There are now technologies widely available, such as Mobile Care Monitoring software, that promotes continued hydration by providing 24-hour monitoring of the amount of fluids offered and consumed for residents set up with a fluid ‘watch’. Moreover, the fluid targets can be personalised to individuals’ needs and preferences, with customer studies demonstrating a 33% reduction in falls.

Essentially, with the array of technology currently at our disposal, we want to reduce the stigma that has persisted around fall cases in UK care homes for far too long. With that in mind, it’s clear to see that the adoption of technology is a necessary step to achieve such a utopia.

At Madison Court, though the shift to a digital care management system was implemented only recently, the transformation was effortless. As we are a dementia home, the amount of work that came with keeping up with care records was nothing shy of overwhelming. However, in a short space of time, our staff have become extremely well equipped with the  digital care technology and have seamlessly implemented it into their work routine.

Ultimately, what Mobile Care Monitoring gives you is a better standard of care. Instead of just getting our residents ready and changed for the day, we’ve suddenly got time to do their nails, talk and engage with them more, give them more TLC, as well as the opportunity to provide each resident with their own sense of belonging.

In addition, by utilising software to document residents’ intake of fluid in real-time, caregivers can immediately see which people haven’t had sufficient fluids and take the appropriate action required. The fluid offered to residents, and the amount drunk in millilitres can be easily evidenced at the point of delivery on mobile devices. Reminders to offer drinks can also be set up as part of a planned care routine.

Mobile Care Monitoring simplifies the process even further by using a traffic light system to alert staff when a care task is due or when a resident is falling below the recommended fluid threshold for the rolling 24-hour period and flagging the need for intervention.

By implementing innovative software to help prevent dehydration amongst residents, care homes can ensure resident hydration levels are kept replenished and, therefore, hospital admissions are less likely to be made. Also, with good hydration being a factor in preventing UTIs, low blood pressure and even more serious medical episodes such as seizures, the benefits of more efficient hydration management are vast. So, by providing caregivers with valuable fluid data, the chances of adverse incidents can be considerably reduced.

Furthermore, digital care technology can offer caregivers the ability to meticulously analyse any incidents, trace what actions led up to them and prevent further incidents from occurring. For example, at Maddison Court, we’re now able to spot patterns and adjust our practices to support residents better.

It’s clear to see that the collection of data can be of great assistance to caregivers and empowers staff to make responsive decisions that benefit everyone involved.

Moreover, the frequency of falling increases with age and can have serious consequences for older people. In fact, 35 per cent of people aged 65 and over who live in the community fall each year, increasing to 45 per cent for those 80 years and older (DH:2009). With that in mind, it’s clear that technology needs to be fully embraced if care providers are able to analyse any incidents, trace what actions led up to them and prevent future incidents from occurring. For example, by documenting incidents such as falls, care homes may be able to spot patterns and can adjust their practices to better support residents.

Ultimately, it’s the implementation of digital technology that helps to support care providers and improve the overall quality of care received by residents in an ever-expanding sector.

So, to anyone that is still hesitant or has trepidations about moving away from a paper-based approach, I would encourage you to really look at going digital. It’s no exaggeration to say that technology can quickly transform how you operate your care plan, as it’s done it for us in such a short amount of time. Everything is there to see in black and white, from reducing errors to saving time, and ultimately, it enables us to improve the overall quality of care to our residents.

About the author

Valerie Ann Carter is a Staff Nurse/Trainer at Madison Court Care Home, a purpose-built care home, very recently acquired by Harbour Healthcare. Person Centred Software was started in 2013 to help to improve the quality of life for people in social care. The company has become an award-winning global company with over 2,000 care homes in the UK alone, using their digital care system.

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While awareness weeks like these are crucial in providing a greater understanding of the dangers, risk factors and signs of malnutrition and dehydration in social care, they should be at the forefront of care practices year-round.

According to the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN), malnutrition is a significant public health problem that affects over 10 per cent of people over the age of 65 – roughly 1.3 million people. The BAPEN also suggests that around 35 per cent of residents admitted into UK care homes are at risk of malnutrition.

Age UK defines malnutrition and nutritional risks as being low bodyweight, unintended weight loss, or poor recent nutritional intake. Older people are more at risk due to factors including physiological changes, poor appetite, practical difficulties, poorer mental and oral health, and acute or chronic illness.

Unfortunately, malnutrition amongst care home residents is, all too often, a hidden problem of which the consequences can be severe. In the worst cases, older people can become extremely ill and admitted to hospital.

Thankfully, in recent years, we have increased awareness of the symptoms of malnutrition and dehydration and empowered caregivers to detect them through digital care technology.

With digital care plans in the palm of their hands, carers and nurses can immediately see which residents have not had sufficient nutrients or fluids and take appropriate action. The fluid offered to residents, and the amount of fluid drunk in millilitres, for instance, is quickly evidenced at the point of delivery. Reminders to offer drinks or specific food groups can be set up as part of a planned, person-centred care routine, with a traffic light system of flags alerting staff to when a care task is due, or to a resident falling below the recommended nutrition/hydration threshold for the rolling 24-hour period.

Digital care plans can also measure the malnutrition risk of an individual by monitoring any unplanned weight loss, which automatically updates their body mass index on the system.

So, when the risk increases, caregivers can be alerted and take appropriate action to avoid that person becoming malnourished or dehydrated. Any action taken, whether that be foods or fluids, is then pulled through to the system so everyone can instantaneously see the individual’s real-time nutrition and fluid charts.

Monitoring a person’s oral health is also an important factor in avoiding malnutrition. For instance, if a person’s mouth is injured, they will be less likely to eat and drink their normal daily intake as it could be an unpleasant experience for them. Through digital care technology, a caregiver can monitor and share sore or swallowing issues that contribute to how well someone can eat and drink. For example, someone with dysphagia may need to be put on a textured diet to ensure they get their required nutrients.

With all these risks to malnutrition, a score can be given which categorises an individual into low, medium, or high risk. This allows everyone with access to the care plans to instantly see who requires attention.

Again, it is all about being able to review someone’s needs by measuring all risk factors such as height, weight, age, allergies, medical conditions, etc. All data is pulled through the digital care management system, allowing caregivers to provide the appropriate level of person-centred care.

One UK care provider to benefit from digital care technology that allows you to monitor nutrition and hydration intake is Quality Reliable Care (QRC), who operate several specialised care services ranging from residential to supported accommodation services. Kevin May, QRC’s Registered Manager, said: “Our staff are very complimentary of the management of nutrition via digital care planning tools. They feel the technology covers all areas of nutrition and hydration, plus offers easy access to both food and fluid charts.

“Collectively, they feel all information related to nutrition and hydration can be monitored and is readily accessible, making it easy to share with others including district nurses, social workers, and other healthcare professionals.”

Overall, digital care technology allows care providers to get a full picture of an individual’s nutrition and hydration plan, which can be monitored and updated in real-time – something that just isn’t possible with paper-based or outdated digital systems. Ultimately, going forward, digital care plans will be the benchmark for providing a holistic approach to care that ensures people in social care have a significantly lower chance of dealing with malnutrition and dehydration.

About the author

Jonathan Papworth is the co-founder and director of Person Centred Software, a digital care technology pioneer. Founded in 2013 with the objective of helping to improve standards in social care, Person Centred Software has become an award-winning global company with over 2,500 care homes in the UK and Ireland alone using its digital care management system.

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