IN A pilot project, 60 houses in Co Louth are to be fitted with new technology which will allow older people or those with a serious illness stay in their homes and to be remotely monitored by carers.
Well known to the public as a member of RTÉ's Dragon's Den, Gavin Duffy said, "This is the future", after seeing the technology that has been developed in the two age-related research centres which are based in Louth.
The county is one of 33 places around the world that meet the criteria of the World Health Organisation’s age-friendly cities network.
Mr Duffy is chairing the Age-Friendly Business Forum in Louth and today it launches its action plan.
“We are way ahead of the game here and instead of cursing the darkness of the recession here people are instead doing things,” he added.
The Health Buddy technology already in use in Dundalk is credited with helping to save two lives by early detection of deteriorating vital signs.
It is now introducing the Home Sweet Home project, where 60 houses in the county will be fitted with interactive touchscreens and allow people with acute conditions to be monitored interactively in their own homes via Bluetooth technology.
Similar software in the US saw a 61 per cent reduction in hospital admissions in the over-65s during a two-year trial period.
According to Stuart Quinn, finance manager of the Netwell Centre in Dundalk, it could mean a saving of up to €38 million a year for the HSE by freeing up beds in the two acute hospitals in the region.
In 2008, there were 125,445 emergency bed days in the northeast region for 12,458 patients over 65 suffering from hypertension, coronary heart disease, strokes or diabetes, with each person experiencing an average length of stay of 10 days in hospital.
At an average cost of €632 per night without treatment, the average cost to the State for these bed days is €79.39 million a year.
In comparison, the Health Buddy system costs €400 per month to run, offers substantial savings in hospital admission costs and has already saved two lives in Dundalk due to early detection of strokes.
“Experience in the US has found that community-based care systems cut the annual rate of admissions by up to 63 per cent as well as providing the social benefits of living at home in preference to either an acute or long-term care setting,” said Rodd Bond of the Netwell Centre.
“The savings made through systems like the Health Buddy and Home Sweet Home will represent a more effective use of hospital resources and will dramatically shorten waiting lists.”