A majority (70 per cent) of elderly patients want to be cared for at home, says Dr Choo Wei Chieh, one of the founders of Ninkatec and a well-established home care physician. 

While “ageing in place” can be advantageous from an emotional standpoint, it means the onus lies on family members to constantly be on the alert for changes in the patient’s health. To take the burden off the primary caregiver, a home care service can keep tabs on the patient regularly so family members can breathe easier.  

For those who need continuous medical support, Ninkatec’s Right at Home palliative care solution gets you 24-hour monitoring, online assistance and monthly visits from the doctor. The home care team not only helps set up medical appointments, but they can also arrange complementary services with other healthcare professionals such as speech therapists or physiotherapists. 

If the patient is stable and can manage on their own (like those with dementia, cancer or have had a mild stroke), the Virtual Care plan lets them assert a level of independence while providing access to a team of trusted clinicians 24 hours a day, be it seeking advice, requesting for monitoring or scheduling appointments.

Did you know that palliative care is not just for the terminally ill, but also for patients who are at various stages of sickness or suffering from chronic conditions? If your family member just had surgery or is experiencing complications with any illness, they may require acute care like Ninkatec’s Close Connect care plan, which includes daily nurse visits, a 24-hour online call centre and non-stop monitoring. 

 To do this, Ninkatec uses a variety of monitoring devices, including panic buttons, GPS tracker/fall detector and motion sensors equipped with artificial intelligence that can preempt abnormalities. When the patient is in bed, a smart mat tracks their heart rate and breath. A slight change in trend can signal a possible medical crisis, allowing for early diagnosis and intervention. 

 This continuous monitoring not only helps to relieve the strain on family members and caregivers, but it also allows doctors to provide timely and preemptive prevention of medical crises.

Palliative care means bringing the benefits of the hospital to the patient’s home. Particularly for those with mobility issues, being cared for at home saves them the inconvenience of having to travel to see a doctor or worse, risk catching a virus at the hospital.

In times of a pandemic, the risk of getting an infection is particularly concerning. With an already compromised immune system due to their illness or surgery, avoiding unnecessary visits to public places, including the hospital, is even more imperative.

Some of the elderly population are reluctant to see a doctor, so getting them to the clinic or hospital is already a challenge on its own. Regular monitoring at home can save both the patient and their families a lot of stress about the management of ongoing healthcare.

Those who are terminally ill can also continue with their daily and social routines while maintaining a sense of personal dignity in their final days, knowing that they can access quality medical care at home with Ninkatec.

Palliative care not only improves a patient’s quality of life but also supports caregivers. While the attention is often focused on the one who is ill, Dr Choo points out that it is just as important to look after the caregivers’ health. After all, caregivers are vital to ensuring the patient receives the best care since they are the ones who are at home and in constant contact with the patient.

“Caregivers are the first line of support; this can be very stressful and emotionally draining,” says Dr Choo. “Imagine having to be disturbed night after night to tend to patients who may be demented and confused, and without having the opportunity to rest and recover properly.”

Emotionally supporting the caregivers and offering a listening ear can make a difference, but with home care services to help look after the patient, caregivers can also get a break occasionally from having to constantly worry about their loved ones.

“Palliative care requires a special personality,” says Dr Choo. “Doctors interested in palliative care are usually very patient-centred and care for the whole person, including their psychological, social and spiritual needs.”

That includes explaining to the families what is to be expected in the patient’s last days and hours, and teaching them to do. This is an example of caring for the patient as a person, including his or her social circles, explains Dr Choo.

“This simple but important step allows families to be calm and at ease when patients eventually pass away at home, without the distress and anxiety,” adds Dr Choo. “This is immensely helpful as it allows the families to continue doing the many necessary things after the patient has passed away.”

For more information, go to www.ninkatec.com, www.facebook.com/ninkatecsg, or contact Ninkatec at care@ninkatec.com and 6247 9247.