“Continence care is hard work and takes up a lot of resources. Implementing ABENA Nova with MediSens showed that we could truly relieve the physical strain and reduce the level of stress during day and night shifts without compromising the principles of good continence care. We know that our staff comes to work every day with one wish, and that is to improve the quality of life of their patients. The new digital product enables them to do just that.” Tobias Fundis, Managing Director of the nursing home Seniorenstift Eppingen GmbH & Co. Benefits of digital continence care at a glance For residents: Dignity and improved quality of life • A good night’s sleep, dry and comfortable •Fewer leakages, less manual checks, no bad odor • Improved skin health and less UTIs •Less stressful changes of clothing or bedding For caregivers: Less physical strain and more time for quality care •Better planning, less stress and fewer leakage episodes •Extra time for meaningful care activities •Ease physical workload, less physical strain, less heavy lifts For management: High quality care, improved patient and staff satisfaction, and substantial savings • Happy residents and relatives • Motivated staff with extra time for care-giving •Less sick leave absence due to stress and work- related injuries among staff •Savings on time spent on continence care, fewer continence products, less laundry and waste Secure staff and good working conditions In a time where the war for talent is raging in the care sector, increased empowerment of the individual caregiver and improved work environment is crucial to attracting and retaining the right personnel. Digital solutions relieve the workload and resound among new generations of caregivers. For new and current staff, the significant time savings achieved through digital continence care provide welcome extra hours in the daily work. In addition an open-minded effort involving all relevant parties in exploring digital continence practices provides room for innovative and meaningful perspectives to routine care tasks. A more sustainable choice The effects of digital continence care on sustainability are considerable. In nursing homes and specialty care institutions, a large part of the waste flow consists of incontinence products. Extensive testing at nursing homes and specialty care institutions in several countries has shown that the number of incontinence products is reduced by on average 40% when implementing digital products. Furthermore, the drastic reduction of leakages saves water and detergents for laundry. Getting a good start with digital continence care The decision to venture into digital solutions requires an open mind and a willingness to challenge status quo at all levels in the organization. Thorough testing of digital continence care at several care institutions have resulted in the following recommendations for successful implementation: Allow time for implementation: Digital continence care challenges known practices and calls for new routines. Allow time for discussions among care staff to take in the changes and learn to work in new ways. Communication is key: Never underestimate the importance of communication before, during, and after implementation to create a smooth implementation process. Phase in the new technology: Start with a smaller group of 10-20 residents, in order to gain experience. Then scale up to include more residents. Appoint ambassadors and super users: It is important to have people in the organization who really understand and appreciate the opportunities and can lead the development; preferably people who can make the link between technology and care practices. 2020 3 of 4 Management
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