![IPS Online Forum on Senior Care in the Age of Pandemics IPS Online Forum on Senior Care in the Age of Pandemics](/images/default-source/news/ips-news/ips-online-forum-on-senior-care-in-the-age-of-pandemics.jpg?sfvrsn=c5e6460a_0)
In the IPS Online forum on “Senior Care in the Age of Pandemics,” four experts on ageing and health policy discussed the role of technology in supporting healthcare for seniors, and healthcare management during COVID-19. The session was moderated by Ms Yvonne Arivalagan, Ageing and Health Policy Researcher and Fellow, World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Longevity.
All panellists agreed that COVID-19 has accelerated the development and widespread use of technology in healthcare. Restrictions of movement due to the Circuit Breaker and fears of viral spread have increased the use of telemedicine, especially teleconsulting.
Ms Pang Sze-Yunn, Council Member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Longevity, highlighted three settings — in home care, institutional facilities and healthcare management — where technological solutions such as telemedicine, fall detection and enterprise software are currently being deployed.
Technology enables healthcare providers to better understand and detect the needs of patients, provide continuous monitoring, develop plans for care and resource allocation, and facilitate communication among both patients and caregivers.
From the perspective of caregivers, Professor Helen Sanderson, Founder, Wellbeing Teams, spoke about how her team uses platforms such as Slack, apps such as Headspace and wearables to support and enable their work.
Mr Karthik Tirupathi, Chief Executive Officer of Napier Healthcare Solution, spoke about the potential of AI and machine learning to provide solutions such as contact tracing during a pandemic.
However, the panellists also emphasised the importance of retaining the human touch in the deployment of technology in healthcare. This is particularly important given the mental health issues, especially among seniors, many of whom have felt lonely, anxious and helpless because of the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Professor Sanderson presented the model of the Support Sequence used by Wellbeing Teams, in which technology is one of several possible solutions an older person can turn to, based on their needs and wants.
It complements other solutions such as community care, support from family and friends, and institutional or paid services. She felt that home-based and social care should be prioritised, instead of relying on paid or institutional solutions.
Mr Tirupathi added that digitised services need not be “dehumanising” and there does not have to be a trade-off involved in adopting them. He also felt that home care would be a significant area of growth in future.
Dr Ng Wai Chong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NWC Longevity Practice agreed, and felt that trust between patients and doctors is needed regardless of how telemedicine and other remote solutions develop. Hence, there was a consensus among the panellists that technology should support, but not replace caregiving.
There was also a brief discussion on seniors’ rights to privacy, especially in cases where they are unable to provide informed consent. Dr Ng suggested that the best approach would be to check in with seniors on their priorities. But if seniors are unable to do so, Mr Tirupathi added that a policy response would be more appropriate in such situations.
Among the various questions asked during the question-and-answer session, a lack of funding was raised as a potential challenge to employing technology in healthcare for seniors. Ms Pang noted that technological solutions are mainly evaluated in terms of economic value to the industry so, in the short term, healthcare providers may be unwilling to adopt “high-tech” solutions because hiring regional nursing labour incurs lower costs. She argued that evaluations of technology should look at broader long-term outcomes, such as increased productivity.
She also observed that medical funding structures in Singapore can be quite complex compared to other countries. In order to encourage uptake of technology in healthcare, policymakers such as the Ministry of Health could look into rationalising healthcare financing systems to support new care models. This is because financing and business sustainability are key inhibitors for healthcare providers at the moment.
Finally, Dr Ng commented on the roles that various stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem have to play. For instance, policymakers have the responsibility to develop basic infrastructure like manpower training, 5G and Wi-Fi, as well as planning for the sector. In this aspect, he agreed with Professor Sanderson that Singapore should look into “institution-light, community-heavy” care solutions for its aging population.
He added that technology developers also need to work with service providers who can cater to patients’ needs; business experts who can ensure financial viability; academics who can continue to develop and appraise the value of technology; and policymakers who may provide funding. These parties need to come together to form the bedrock of sustainable, person-centred technological healthcare solutions for seniors.