Earlier this year, the clinical team at the Short Term Assessment and Treatment (STAT) In Patient Unit at UBC Hospital embarked on a research project to explore the feasibility and acceptability of Sleepsense technology in an inpatient specialized geriatric and psychiatric setting.
The quality of sleep for older adults is influenced by various factors, including cognition, mood, anxiety, depression and underlying medical comorbidities. Currently, the monitoring of sleep patterns and physical restlessness in acute settings poses challenges. Prolonged sleep disturbances can often lead to functional and cognitive impairments, increasing the need for care. Technology could potentially provide an unobtrusive and effective means of monitoring sleep patterns of older adults.
Tochtech is thrilled to highlight that in their July 28 IdeaLab Newsletter, the UBC STAT research team reports that the Sleepsense data has now been incorporated into their clinical work. Patients and families are providing positive feedback and night staff are using the remote screen to monitor the sleep and safety of patients. More importantly, psychiatrists at the STAT unit are using the sensor data as part of their discussion with patients during their care rounds, and medical doctors are recommending patients with sleep problems to the unit for sleep monitoring.
“Our team’s research will provide valuable insights as to whether a bed sensor can effectively, objectively and feasibly assess the sleep patterns of hospitalized older adults,” says Cromwell Acosta, STAT RN and Principal Investigator (PI). “The results will reinforce the VCH health care model of collaborative care, ultimately striving for better patient outcomes.”
