The WellAssist program works by connecting a user’s smart devices to an online platform that can be accessed by person’s healthcare provider as well as family members. From there, members of the user’s “CareCircle” can monitor their health. (Photo: Submitted)
After two years of offering their service through academic partnerships and healthcare organizations, Routinify Inc. has begun to offer its WellAssist TeleCare Service directly to older New Brunswickers and their families.
The WellAssist platform works using smart medical devices such as blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, and pulse oximeters. Using those devices along with a smart display, older adults can monitor their health alongside their healthcare providers 24/7.
“Home care is scheduled and can be episodic,” said Tricia Friars, Clinical Director of Routinify. “We’re just recognizing that to really support someone in healthy ageing, you have to be there all day, every day.”
The WellAssist program works by connecting a user’s smart devices to an online platform that can be accessed by a person’s healthcare provider as well as family members. From there, members of the user’s “CareCircle” can monitor their health.
The person receiving care also has access to a smart display that allows them to track their schedules, monitor their health, and contact members of their “CareCircle” through video chat.
“We know all ageing adults want to stay at home, we want to age in place at home,” said Friars. “To do that, you need support. It takes a community.”
WellAssist also helps set a daily routine for the older adult; provides reminders for tasks like taking medication, coordinates appointments and visits; allows users to easily video call with healthcare providers and their loved ones; and quickly contact emergency services.
The program also manages the user’s sleep, nutrition, medication, activity levels, and social and mental engagement thanks to the use of wearable smart devices. These features lend to WellAssist and Routinify’s goal of ensuring seniors gain health, safety, and social wellbeing.
As the product has developed, WellAssist has become available in New Brunswick and parts of Ontario. They have also expanded across the United States, providing aid in Denver, parts of California, and Boston.
Friars says this development has allowed them to gain insight into the product.
“It’s been through research and feedback from our clients that we’ve been caring for that we’ve continued to develop the product,” she said. “All of the features that we roll out and into the application are all things done by our ageing adults through their feedback and their use of our platform.”
Pat Kelly, CEO and Founder of Routinify, said in a release that he is happy to serve New Brunswick’s ageing population get access to the support they need.
“New Brunswick has an ageing population and from the very start our mission was to help support those ageing adults access the care they need,” said Pat Kelly, Routinify’s founder and CEO, in a release.
Kelly acknowledges that the pandemic has made accessing healthcare for seniors even more of a challenge and believes by having more options for at-home care will help fill that gap.
“We know that 21 percent of New Brunswickers over the age of 65 are homebound. The pandemic increased this remarkable and made it even more difficult to access the healthcare they need.”
Liam Floyd is a reporter for Huddle, an Acadia Broadcasting content partner.
