Authors (including presenting author) :
Yue SY, (Leung YS), Wong KC, Lau M
Affiliation :
Occupational Therapy Department, Shatin Hospital
Introduction :
As a regional extended care setting for geriatric rehabilitation, Shatin Hospital (SH) witnessed a growing service demand in past years. With shortened length of stay, the main focus of in-patient care has shifted to safe and early discharge. In this respect, occupational therapists play a significant role in home readiness by utilizing assistive technology devices in maximizing functional independence and reducing burden of care.
Traditionally, patients are required to purchase assistive technology devices when discharging to community. One of the most frequently cited challenges in literature is to assist elderly patients and their caregivers in selecting appropriate devices. The main reason is geriatric patients are more prone to exhibit deterioration in health status and/or functional capabilities; hence people tend to pick low-cost items instead of most suitable devices. Moreover, such difficulty is even more pronounced in patients receiving palliative care.
Jockey Club Age at home Gerontech Education and Rental Service (JCAGERS) is a pilot scheme aiming to promote awareness of gerontechnology as a solution for ageing in place to those in need and their carers in Hong Kong, by offering continuing onsite support and renewing appropriate devices, along with changing needs of service users.
Despite the aim and service model of JCAGERS is a potential solution, the available devices at initial launch had little overlap with patients’ needs in SH. With support from top management of Hospital Authority, collaboration between JCAGERS and SH started in September 2020, aiming at providing appropriate assistive technology devices to facilitate safe and early discharge of elderly patients and patients receiving palliative care.
Objectives :
Providing appropriate assistive technology devices to facilitate safe and early discharge of elderly patients and patients receiving palliative care
Methodology :
The collaboration started in September 2020 by means of participating in monthly Furniture and Equipment (F&E) Task Force meeting and other activities. JCAGERS arranged a number of site visits to various service units and provided seminars on service model and referral mechanism. SH also organized multiple experience sharing sessions on aids loan service, wheelchair maintenance, electronic recording system, device safety, international standards, etc. Up to 31st December 2022, 28 F&E Task Force meetings were held. Formal and informal communication channels are well established to maximize mutual benefits and service quality.
Result & Outcome :
Since the first referral in April 2021, there has been a steady increase in number of referrals to JCAGERS. In 2022, there were 101 referrals for 210 devices from SH, despite serious service interruption in providing onsite installation and training during certain high peaks of COVID-19 pandemic. Of which, more than 98% of patients were from specialties of Medicine & Geriatrics and Palliative Care. In terms of device type, top five device categories were 1.) bathing & toileting (27%); 2.) electric bed (26%); 3.) pressure relief (22%); 4.) transfers (14%); and 5.) mobility device (10%). In a preliminary review, majority of patients and their caregivers were highly appreciated the service and satisfied with devices offered.
