From Manual to Automated: Evaluating the usability and acceptance of an automated shower system in residential aged care
Difficulties in bathing have been linked with increased safety concerns, lower quality of life, higher care costs, further disability and loss of autonomy. Implementing automated showering systems could (1) reduce the need for direct assistance from carers, improve workforce efficiency and (2) promote the dignity, privacy, and independence of older people, empowering them to maintain their personal hygiene. Automated technology has the potential to shift a carers’ main workload from being of a physical nature to freeing time to do higher quality care tasks while the elder person is showering with the automated technology.
However – the end-users of the technology (carers and older people themselves) – must see value in the process. In this project, we assess the impact of automated technology on the showering experience in residential aged care – thanks to support from Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation (ARIIA), Polish technology company Automation for Humanity is collaborating with QUT Design Lab researchers to trial their “Sit & Shower” showering device in a Southern Cross Care (NSW) aged care home in Sydney.
About the “Sit & Shower”
| A user (bathed in a sitting position in a chair placed in the bathroom or over the toilet) can operate this automated showering system with one button, with automatic temperature control, auto-soaping, and shampooing, 13 surround water jets, an automatic disinfection function and safety features. “Sit & Shower” meets all regulatory safety requirements, and has been tested and successfully deployed in Europe and Asia with CE testing done by TÜV Rheinland. However, the successful implementation and integration into the Australian market requires awareness of the needs, activities, workflows, and preferences of Australian users.
Our project assessed: the benefits and challenges associated with adopting this solution’ any challenges in deployment; any areas for improvement; and what (if any) training is needed to assist in its ongoing operation. Specifically, the research explores how caregivers and residents perceive the technology’s impact on workload, time availability, and quality of care, as well as any changes in caregiver-resident interactions and the overall care environment/and clinical care indicators. The “Sit & Shower” is only the first component of a larger Automated Caregiving Ecosystem to be introduced soon by AFH Europe Sp. z o. o. (AFH stands for Automation for Humanity), with upcoming products include an automated bed to wheelchair transfer systems, self-driving wheelchairs and a robotic dressing system designed to give patients more autonomy and freedom, while relieving caregivers of a physical task. This research has been co-financed by the European Union funds through NCBiR, the Polish government organization in charge of funding innovation, and has received a “Seal of Excellence” from the EU body, the European Innovation Council Accelerator which funds and supports companies with innovative, game-changing products. |
