Contributing to the support of individuals with the use of electronic assistive technology Cyfrannu at gefnogi unigolion gan ddefnyddio technoleg gynorthwyol electronig
Remote or virtual monitoring and response systems Systemau monitro ac ymateb o bell neu rithwir

Role and Purpose

There has been a rapid growth in the electronic assistive technologies to monitor and respond to individuals at home or in a care setting, whilst supporting care givers in monitoring of large numbers of people.

Monitoring and response systems are used to check the health, well-being and safety of people living at home or in a care setting. This could be for short or long periods of time during the day or night. The main role and purpose of monitoring and response systems is to reduce the number of falls and hospital admissions, whilst increasing an individual’s autonomy and quality of life.

Getting the right support in place early may mean that an individual can continue to live in an environment of their choice.

There is a range of monitoring and response systems available. Most of these would be used to support elderly individuals or those with learning difficulties, dementia or behaviour that challenges. They include:

• Community/Personal emergency alarm services - A pendant or watch with an emergency alarm button. The individual can press the button in the event of an emergency, such as a fall, to summon assistance.
• Systems for using sensors - Smoke sensors, heat sensors, flood detectors, unlit gas detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fall detectors and movement sensors are all aimed at keeping individuals safe whilst allowing them to live independently for as long as possible.
• Medical tracking systems - Some collect data on health status, movement or eating and drinking. These allow health and social care professionals to intervene at an early stage if they notice anything that causes concern.
• Call systems - Enables an individual to summon assistance and staff. Systems can also provide passive alerts, e.g. if the person gets out of bed or leaves the building, useful for individuals at risk of falls
• Electronic devices - Can be set for a prompt to be given, e.g. about an appointment. This may pop up on the screen and an alarm may sound.
• Medication boxes/Pill dispensers - On a timer can release medication at the appropriate time and sound an alarm. This is an effective way to ensure that individuals take their tablets at the correct time, and also keeps them safe by ensuring that they cannot take too many.
• Tracking movement - Allow for an individual, or the environment, to be monitored by someone else, such as a family member. These can monitor movement (you would not be able to see the individual, but a graph would show which rooms and they have been moving around in and when) and can be combined with alerts if appropriate if something unusual happens.
• GPS Tracking systems - Can help an individual if they become lost by giving them directions or enabling them to summon assistance or advice. They can also enable an individual to be monitored by someone else and their location identified.
• Walking alarms - These alarms are used to alert a carer or relative if a person moves beyond a designated area.
• Personal locators - These portable products are carried by the individual and enable authorised individuals such as relatives or carers to find out their location by logging onto the internet from a computer.
• Activity monitoring systems/sensors - These systems are designed to automatically check well-being on a regular basis. Some rely on the individual pressing a button once or twice a day. If they do not press the button a call centre will ring them to check that everything is alright.

The purpose of monitoring and response systems specifically are to:

• improve quality of life and well-being for a patient and their carers
• increase safety and independence
• help to manage risk
• promote independent living and well-being
• reduce unplanned hospital admissions and emergency ambulance call outs.
• reduce pressure on GPs and nurses
• manage long-term conditions.

Rôl a Phwrpas

Bu twf cyflym yn y technolegau cynorthwyol electronig i fonitro ac ymateb i unigolion yn y cartref neu mewn lleoliad gofal, tra'n cefnogi'r rhai sy'n rhoi gofal wrth fonitro niferoedd mawr o bobl.

Defnyddir systemau monitro ac ymateb i wirio iechyd, llesiant a diogelwch pobl sy'n byw gartref neu mewn lleoliad gofal. Gallai hyn fod am gyfnodau byr neu hir o amser yn ystod y dydd neu'r nos. Prif rôl a phwrpas systemau monitro ac ymateb yw lleihau nifer y cwympiau a derbyniadau i'r ysbyty, tra'n gwella ymreolaeth ac ansawdd bywyd yr unigolyn.

Gall sicrhau bod y cymorth iawn ar gael yn gynnar olygu y gall unigolyn barhau i fyw mewn amgylchedd o'i ddewis.

Mae amrywiaeth o systemau monitro ac ymateb ar gael. Byddai’r rhan fwyaf o’r rhain yn cael eu defnyddio i gynorthwyo unigolion oedrannus neu’r rhai ag anawsterau dysgu, dementia neu ymddygiad a all fod yn heriol. Maent yn cynnwys:

• Gwasanaethau larwm argyfwng cymunedol/personol - Tlws crog neu oriawr gyda botwm larwm argyfwng. Gall yr unigolyn wasgu'r botwm os bydd argyfwng, megis cwymp, i alw am gymorth.
• Systemau ar gyfer defnyddio synwyryddion - Mae synwyryddion mwg, synwyryddion gwres, synwyryddion llifogydd, synwyryddion nwy sydd heb eu goleuo, synwyryddion carbon monocsid, synwyryddion cwympo a synwyryddion symud oll wedi'u hanelu at gadw unigolion yn ddiogel tra'n caniatáu iddynt fyw'n annibynnol am gyn hired â phosibl.
• Systemau olrhain meddygol - Mae rhai yn casglu data ar statws iechyd, symudiad neu fwyta ac yfed. Mae'r rhain yn galluogi gweithwyr iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol proffesiynol i ymyrryd yn gynnar os ydynt yn sylwi ar unrhyw beth sy'n achosi pryder.
• Systemau galw - Galluogi unigolyn i alw am gymorth a staff. Gall systemau hefyd ddarparu rhybuddion goddefol, e.e. os yw'r unigolyn yn codi o'r gwely neu'n gadael yr adeilad, sy'n ddefnyddiol i unigolion sydd mewn perygl o gwympo
• Dyfeisiau electronig - Gellir eu gosod er mwyn i ysgogiad gael ei roi, e.e. am apwyntiad. Gall hyn ymddangos ar y sgrin a gall larwm seinio.
• Blychau meddyginiaeth/dosbarthwr tabledi - Ar amserydd, gallant ryddhau meddyginiaeth ar yr amser priodol a seinio larwm. Mae hon yn ffordd effeithiol o sicrhau bod unigolion yn cymryd eu tabledi ar yr adeg gywir, a hefyd yn eu cadw'n ddiogel drwy sicrhau na allant gymryd gormod.
• Olrhain symudiad - Caniatáu i unigolyn, neu'r amgylchedd, gael ei fonitro gan rywun arall, megis aelod o'r teulu. Gall y rhain fonitro symudiad (ni fyddech yn gallu gweld yr unigolyn, ond byddai graff yn dangos pa ystafelloedd y maent wedi bod yn symud o gwmpas ynddynt a phryd) a gellir eu cyfuno gyda rhybuddion os yw'n briodol os bydd rhywbeth anarferol yn digwydd.
• Systemau Llwybro GPS - Yn gallu helpu unigolyn os yw'n mynd ar goll drwy roi cyfarwyddiadau iddo neu i'w alluogi i alw am gymorth neu gyngor. Gallant hefyd alluogi unigolyn i gael ei fonitro gan rywun arall a nodi ei leoliad.
• Larymau cerdded - Mae'r larymau hyn yn cael eu defnyddio i rybuddio gofalwr neu berthynas os yw person yn symud y tu hwnt i ardal ddynodedig.
• Lleolwyr personol - Caiff y cynhyrchion cludadwy hyn eu cario gan yr unigolyn ac maent yn galluogi unigolion awdurdodedig fel perthnasau neu ofalwyr i ddod o hyd i'w lleoliad drwy fewngofnodi ar y rhyngrwyd o gyfrifiadur.
• Systemau monitro gweithgareddau/synwyryddion - Mae'r systemau hyn wedi'u cynllunio i wirio llesiant yn awtomatig yn rheolaidd. Mae rhai yn dibynnu ar yr unigolyn i wasgu botwm unwaith neu ddwywaith y dydd. Os nad ydynt yn pwyso'r botwm, bydd canolfan alwadau yn eu ffonio i wneud yn siŵr bod popeth yn iawn.

Pwrpas systemau monitro ac ymateb yn benodol yw:

• gwella ansawdd bywyd a llesiant claf a'i ofalwyr
• cynyddu diogelwch ac annibyniaeth
• help i reoli risg
• hyrwyddo byw'n annibynnol a llesiant
• lleihau derbyniadau heb eu cynllunio i'r ysbyty a galwadau ambiwlans brys.
• lleihau'r pwysau ar feddygon teulu a nyrsys
• rheoli cyflyrau hirdymor.

Working in collaboration with other services

Many monitoring and response systems work in collaboration with other services such as Local Authorities, Private Companies, Response Teams and Emergency Services.

Monitoring and response systems allow individuals to be linked up 24 hours a day to a central service that can offer help in an emergency. The link is usually either by telephone, a pull cord, a pendant worn around the neck, or a combination of these.

If the individual needs to summon help urgently and are unable to make a normal telephone call, they can use the pendant, pull the cord or use a special button on the telephone to contact a control centre.

This centre will be staffed by people who can talk to the individual, find out what they need and summon the appropriate help. In an emergency, the alarm operator gets in touch with the people the individual has agreed should be contacted in such circumstances; for example, a trusted relative or neighbour, who will have a set of keys to their home. The alarm operator also contacts the appropriate emergency service if this is required.

Some monitoring and response services can also provide a personal response service sending an appropriately trained member of staff to the individual’s home when an alert is raised, if they are unable to reach the individual’s contacts.

Monitoring and response services are usually available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year (including Bank Holidays).

Examples of monitoring and response systems working in collaboration

• pendant alarms/Call systems linked to a 24 hour emergency response centre for people in their own home or care setting
• tele-care systems linked with a health professional/healthcare team when an alert shows that action is needed. (example a diabetic patient)
• personal monitoring and notification systems linked to the carer
• electronic location devices linked to the caregiver
• temperature, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors linked to the emergency services
• community alarm services linked to local authorities, community staff or companies that has provided the alarm
• smoke/Heat sensors linked to caregiver or emergency services.

Cydweithio â gwasanaethau eraill

Mae llawer o systemau monitro ac ymateb yn cydweithio â gwasanaethau eraill fel Awdurdodau Lleol, Cwmnïau Preifat, Timau Ymateb a Gwasanaethau Brys.

Mae systemau monitro ac ymateb yn caniatáu i unigolion fod â chyswllt 24 awr y dydd â gwasanaeth canolog a all gynnig help mewn argyfwng. Fel arfer mae'r cysylltiad naill ai dros y ffôn, gord tynnu, tlws crog wedi'i wisgo o gwmpas y gwddf, neu gyfuniad o'r rhain.

Os oes angen i'r unigolyn alw am help ar frys ac os nad yw'n gallu gwneud galwad ffôn arferol, gallant ddefnyddio'r tlws crog, tynnu'r cord neu ddefnyddio botwm arbennig ar y ffôn i gysylltu â chanolfan reoli.

Bydd y ganolfan hon yn cael ei staffio gan bobl a all siarad â'r unigolyn, cael gwybod beth sydd ei angen arnynt a galw am gymorth priodol. Mewn argyfwng, bydd gweithredydd larwm yn cysylltu â'r bobl y mae'r unigolyn wedi cytuno y dylid cysylltu â hwy o dan amgylchiadau o'r fath; er enghraifft, perthynas neu gymydog y mae posib ymddiried ynddynt, a fydd â set o allweddi i'w gartref. Mae'r swyddog larwm hefyd yn cysylltu â'r gwasanaeth brys priodol os oes angen.

Gall rhai gwasanaethau monitro ac ymateb hefyd ddarparu gwasanaeth ymateb personol sy'n anfon aelod o staff sydd wedi derbyn yr hyfforddiant priodol i gartref yr unigolyn pan godir rhybudd, os na allant gyrraedd cysylltiadau'r unigolyn.

Mae gwasanaethau monitro ac ymateb fel arfer ar gael 24 awr y dydd, 7 diwrnod yr wythnos, bob dydd o'r flwyddyn (gan gynnwys Gwyliau Banc).

Enghreifftiau o systemau monitro ac ymateb sy'n cydweithio

• larymau tlws crog/systemau galw wedi'u cysylltu â chanolfan ymateb brys 24 awr ar gyfer pobl yn eu cartrefi neu yn eu lleoliad gofal
• systemau teleofal wedi'u cysylltu â gweithiwr proffesiynol iechyd/tîm gofal iechyd pan fydd rhybudd yn dangos bod angen gweithredu. (e.e. claf diabetig)
• systemau monitro a hysbysu personol sydd wedi'u cysylltu â'r gofalwr
• dyfeisiau lleoliad electronig wedi'u cysylltu â'r gofalwr
• synwyryddion tymheredd, mwg a charbon monocsid wedi'u cysylltu â'r gwasanaethau brys
• gwasanaethau larymau cymunedol wedi'u cysylltu ag awdurdodau lleol, staff cymunedol neu gwmnïau sydd wedi rhoi'r larwm
• synwyryddion mwg/gwres wedi'u cysylltu â gofalwr neu wasanaethau brys.