Melissa Kozak
Sep 1 2022
Reading Time: 3 minutes
By: Melissa Kozak, RN, BSN, Co-Founder and President, CitusHealth
COVID-19 made home the center of our lives. It became our workspace, our gym, our restaurant, and even our doctor’s office. Meals and groceries were delivered to our doors, jobs went remote, and healthcare appointments happened virtually. The pandemic accelerated innovative ways that allowed us to adapt to a new normal—and ultimately, forever changed patient expectations for how they receive care.
A 2021 survey found that 77% of adults 50 and older want to remain in their homes for the long term, a percentage that has been consistent for over a decade. And only 29% plan to relocate to another community as they age.
Furthermore, the world’s population is growing older, with the number of older people expected to grow more than 60% in the next 15 years. Add in nationwide staffing shortages to the mix and it’s no wonder home-based care organizations are questioning how to do more with less.
The number of family caregivers is on the rise as well. The survey revealed that one in five Americans is a family caregiver, 52% of all adults live in a multigenerational household, and 40% said they care for someone living in their home.
It’s clear the aging population wants to live independently and receive care in the home, but how can they do that comfortably, efficiently, and with positive outcomes? Here are three ways technology is helping patients age in place—and making it easy for their caregivers along the way.
Communication can be bi-directional
With the right technology, communication should be collaborative, in real time, and benefit everyone involved in the care journey. Secure messaging keeps staff in touch between visits and gives patients and caregivers peace of mind knowing their care teams are at their fingertips—without having to play phone tag or deal with call centers.
CitusHealth’s Message Center gives patients, family caregivers, and care teams an easy and secure way to communicate with each other in real time to discuss plans of care and address issues or concerns. This enhanced communication increases transparency, improves patient and family engagement, and helps ensure quality and continuity of care.
Education can be on-demand
Having to print out training materials or educate patients and caregivers in person is a thing of the past. When education is on-demand, people are empowered to participate in their care journey with the knowledge of how to achieve positive outcomes.
CitusHealth’s Education Center provides patients and families with on-demand, digital access to customized educational materials any time from any device.
Documentation can be more thorough and accurate
Chasing down paper signatures and spending hours on phone calls to answer routine questions are dated methods of care collaboration. Signatures can now be captured electronically without the need for multiple logins and custom forms can be created and automated to simplify repetitive tasks.
CitusHealth’s Document Center supports secure digital signatures instantly through app-less technology. The Forms Center allows staff to stay close to patients and collect structured data in between visits through a user-friendly forms builder.
Does your organization have the right tools to help patients age in place? Schedule a demo to see for yourself how CitusHealth can support aging in the home through an all-in-one digital solution that prevents staff burnout and prioritizes patient and caregiver satisfaction.
