Technology Supports for Home Health Care Providers

描述（由申请人提供）：对于家庭照顾者，缺乏知识和了解如何处理老年人现在正在经历的残疾导致护理不足。由于目前的保健系统支离破碎，缺乏资金，没有一个单一的实体负责为家庭照顾者提供或协调培训和支助。家庭照顾者很难参加对他们及其成为更好的照顾者的能力有很大好处的培训和课程，因为他们没有人可以在保持其他承诺的同时减轻他们的照顾。便携式健康护理支持系统为家庭健康护理过程中的每个步骤提供记录的音频和基于图片的指令，通过提供关于提供给每个个体的服务的一致的中央信息源，可以显著地帮助缓解该问题。最近，已经引入了诸如平板PC的新的计算机设备，其可以提供用于人类服务设置的强大的便携式计算机系统。Tablet PC是运行Windows XP操作系统的全功能PC，但具有专为便携式使用而设计的特殊功能。整个系统大约是笔记本电脑的大小，用户通过触摸屏显示器与系统交互，而不必使用鼠标或键盘。这些设备重量轻，便携式，可用于向家庭成员提供有关如何在家中正确完成医疗保健活动的详细说明。在该项目的第一阶段，我们展示了HomeCare Assistant的技术优势和可行性，使家庭护理人员更容易提供医疗保健服务并跟踪所提供的服务。初步研究结果显示，八个参与家庭的照顾者压力显着减少，相比之下，八个对照组受试者，没有接受实验实施（P<0.05）。在这个第二阶段项目中，我们将全面开发家庭护理助理系统，并在第三阶段项目中实现商业化。预计这一系统将大大提高家庭保健提供者的能力，使其能够自信地向其家庭成员提供保健服务，并持续减少与家庭负担有关的压力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): For family caregivers, the lack of knowledge and understanding of how to handle the disabilities that seniors are now experiencing results in inadequate care. Due to the fragmentation of the current health care system and lack of funding, no one single entity is responsible for providing or coordinating training and support for family caregivers. Family caregivers have difficulty getting to trainings and classes that would greatly benefit them and their ability to be a better caregiver because they have no one to relieve them from giving care while still maintaining other commitments. A portable health care support system that provides both recorded audio and picture-based instructions for each step in a home health care procedure could be a significant aid to alleviating this problem by providing a consistent, central source of information on the services provided to each individual. Very recently new computer devices, such as Tablet PCs, have been introduced that can provide powerful, portable computer systems for use in human service settings. Tablet PCs are fully functional PCs running a version of the Windows XP operating system, but with special features designed for portable use. The entire system is approximately the size of a notebook and users interact with the system through the touch screen display, rather than having to use a mouse or keyboard. These devices are lightweight, portable and can be used to present detailed instructions to family members on how to accomplish health care activities correctly while in the home. In Phase I of this project, we demonstrated the technical merit and feasibility of HomeCare Assistant for making it easier for family caregivers to perform health care services and keep track of the services that have been provided. The pilot study results showed significant reduction in caregiver stress for eight participating families as compared to eight control group subjects which received no experimental implementation (P<.05). In this Phase II project we will fully develop the HomeCare Assistant system and result in a system that is ready for commercialization in a Phase III project which will immediately follow Phase II. It is anticipated that this system will significantly increase the ability for family health care providers to confidently provide health care services to their family members, as well as experience sustained levels of reduced stress associated with the burden of family caregiving.