It’s all about YOU!

Feros Care, an aged and community care provider in Queensland and New South Wales, is empowering older Australians to take control of their health and wellness.

Through its telehealth project It’s All About M(e), Feros Care encourages clients to take their own vital sign measurements, ie blood pressure, temperature, weight, blood sugar levels etc, on a daily basis.

Clients also answer wellness questions and the results are then securely transmitted to a website where a clinician will discuss those results with the clients or other health professionals.

Feros Care’s, Melissa Simpson, tells DPS News the telehealth clinician and their health care team can then make “informed decisions” about clients’ routines such as diet, exercise and medication.

“Telehealth really allows the individual to see the direct effects of diet and exercise on their health condition,” Ms Simpson says.

Feros Care began an investigation into telehealthcare in early 2009 and established the new service in early 2010. The team presented on the benefits and success of the It’s All About M(e) project on the Gold Coast recently.

“The service was seen as an enhancement to our existing mission to help clients live life their way,” Ms Simpson says.

The service has reportedly not replaced any of Feros’ services or staff; in fact Ms Simpson claims it has added “another dimension” to the organisation’s “care offering”.

“Leveraging technology allows Feros Care to do more for our clients, while meeting clients’ desires to stay at home longer.”

According to Ms Simpson, all support needs to be about the “individual’s choice”.

“To do this, we are seeing great innovations and technology uses. Telehealth provides a real-time connection between one’s activities and actions concerning diet, exercise and medication compliance.”

The service enables a “personalised tracking” of the clients’ health and wellness.

Ms Simpson says the service ultimately allows people to remain “independent, in charge, and living at home on their own terms”.

“Aged care funding is swinging further to ‘at time’ care as an alternative option to residential facility care.

“Technology is a suitable option for clients who want personal control over the location, timing and the customisation of a care solution to meet their individual needs.”

For more information about telehealth technology, call 1300 851 771 or visit Lifelink Response