IT'S A REALITY WE ALL FACE- AGING.
AND FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF AMERICANS SENIORS,
PART OF THAT AGING PROGRESS INCLUDES INCONTINENCE.
AS WE OBSERVE BOTH NATIONAL CAREGIVERS AND BLADDER HEALTH
MONTH, JOINING US TO HIGHLIGHT
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR A PROBLEM
IMPACTING, NOT ONLY SENIORS, BUT THEIR CAREGIVERS AS WELL,
IS PHILIPPA LEWIS, CEO FOR SIMAVITA, PRODUCERS OF
BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY; INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY, HELPING TO IMPROVE THE LIVES
OF THOSE EFFECTED BY INCONTINENCE.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING, OLGA.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
PLEASURE.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT INCONTINENCE.
WHEN IT COMES TO INCONTINENCE, WHAT DO SENIORS AND THOSE WHO
CARE FOR THEM EXPERIENCE?
WELL, FIRSTLY SENIORS, THEY EXPERIENCE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF LOSS OF DIGNITY.
LOSS OF POWER.
AND AS A RESULT OF THEIR INCONTINENCE WHICH TENDS
TO GROW COMPULSORY.
WHEN YOU GET OLDER, YOU SIMPLY DO BECOME INCONTINENT.
IT'S A FACTOR OF AGING.
REALITY?
IT'S A REALITY AND I OFTEN SAY TO PEOPLE, YOU WANT GROW OLD?
AND THAT'S GREAT, BUT PART OF AGING IS CERTAINLY SOME
DISABILITIES.
ONE OF WHICH IS INCONTINENCE.
WHEN YOU BECOME INCONTINENT AND YOU'RE VERY ELDERLY,
IT'S A VERY UNDIGNIFIED THING.
YOU LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR BLADDER AND PERHAPS YOUR BOWEL AS WELL.
AH HUM.
AND THEN YOU'RE TOTALLY DEPENDENT UPON YOUR CARERS.
NOW TO THE CARERS, OF COURSE, IT'S TREMENDOUS BURDEN FOR THEM.
TO BE LOOKING AFTER AN ELDERLY PERSON IS SOMETIMES, JOYFUL
IN SOME RESPECTS, BUT THE REALLY BAD PART OF IT IS OFTEN
THE INCONTINENCE BECAUSE MOST OF YOUR DAY IS REALLY
DOMINATED BY THE CARE OF THEIR INCONTINENCE.
IT'S A MAJOR, MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR CARE WORKERS.
AND ONCE OF THE WORST PARTS OF THEIR JOB, LET'S SAY.
SO, THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK AT IMPROVEMENTS, IF YOU
LIKE.
ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE, IT'S REALLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF THE CARE OF
THAT ELDERLY PERSON AS WELL.
WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.
AND I LOVE YOUR COMPANIES MISSION STATEMENT, AND
I'M GOING TO READ IT, IF I MAY.
AND I'M GONNA QUOTE, "TO PROVIDE A RICHER QUALITY OF
LIFE FOR OLDER PEOPLE, IMPROVING DIGNITY AND GRACE."
END QUOTE.
TELL ME HOW YOUR COMPANY IS MAKING A REALITY.
WE ARE DEDICATED TO ELDERLY PEOPLE HAVING BETTER QUALITY OF
LIFE.
SO WE'VE FOCUSED ON ONE AREA THAT REALLY NEGATIVELY EFFECTS
THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND THAT'S THEIR INCONTINENCE.
SO, EVERYTHING ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE TECHNOLOGY HAS
HAD THAT AS ITS FOCUS.
THAT'S OUR CORE MISSION-
IS TO IMPROVE THEIR CARE.
AND SPEAKING OF THAT TECHNOLOGY, YOU BROUGHT A SIM DEVICE.
SHOW ME HOW IT WORKS AND WHAT IT IS.
I DID.
SO, WHAT WE'VE DEVELOPED AT SIMAVITA IS THE WORLD'S
FIRST 72 HOUR ASSESSMENT FOR INCONTINENCE.
AH HUM.
SO LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS.
CURRENTLY, WE ACCESS ELDERLY PEOPLE FOR THEIR INCONTINENCE,
BUT IT'S A VERY MANUAL ACTIVITY.
VERY TIME CONSUMING, LABOR INTENSIVE AND RESULTS IN
BAD OUTCOMES.
SO WE'VE INSTRUMENTED THAT 72 HOURS.
AND DURING THAT 72 HOURS, OUR RESIDENTS, OR PATIENTS-THE
ELDERLY FOLK WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM INCONTINENCE,
WEAR A SMART DIAPER LIKE THIS.
AND ATTACHED TO THAT IS OUR SIM POD.
OH.
SO WE ATTACH IT THIS WAY, LIKE SO.
EASY ATTACHMENT.
UMM HUMM.
AND IT'S WORN FOR 72 HOURS BY THE ELDERLY PERSON.
AND WE CHANGE IT EVERY FEW HOURS OF COURSE.
OKAY.
BUT DURING THAT TIME, WE'RE COLLECTING ALL THE INFORMATION
THAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE DIAPER.
THAT MEANS, THAT AT THE END OF THE 72 HOURS,
WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL, A LIVE BLADDER CHART.
AHHH.
THAT'S A COMPLETELY UNIQUE OVERVIEW OF THAT PERSON'S
INCONTINENCE PROFILE.
WE PICK UP EVERY FORM OF LEAKAGE,
YOU COULD SAY, THAT OCCURS INSIDE THE DIAPER.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION BECAUSE?
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION BECAUSE, IF YOU UNDERSTAND
THE PATTERN OF THE PERSON'S INCONTINENCE, YOU CAN
ACTUALLY KEEP THEM CONTINENT LONGER.
YOU CAN TAKE THEM TO THE BATHROOM, WHEN THEY NEED TO GO.
SO WHAT THIS CLEVER TECHNOLOGY DOES, IS IT,
CALCULATES THROUGH AN ALGORITHM, WHEN IS THE OPTIMAL TIME
TO TAKE YOU TO THE BATHROOM.
THAT KEEPS YOU DRYER AND MORE CONTINENT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, BECAUSE AS A
RESULT OF THIS, WOULD THAT INDIVIDUAL REACH CONTINENCE
FASTER THAN, LET'S SAY THE INDIVIDUAL THAT JUST
USES THE TRADITIONAL PADS?
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
SO, WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS, AT LEAST 25%
OF ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO ENTER INTO LONG TERM CARE
FACILITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, ARE REASONABLY CONTINENT.
WITHIN 30 DAYS, THEY'RE VERY INCONTINENT.
UMMMM.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, WE ACTUALLY STOP ASSISTING THEM
TO GO THE BATHROOM AT THE RIGHT TIME.
NO ONE'S FAULT, BECAUSE WITHOUT THIS TECHNOLOGY, WE
DON'T KNOW (UNISON) SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, ULTIMATELY
AND VERY QUICKLY, THEY WILL LOSE THEIR BLADDER
CONTROL.
HENCE, THEY BECOME HIGHLY RELIANT UPON DIAPERS.
AND THEY BECOME VERY INCONTINENT.
THAT'S THE GATEWAY FOR ALL THESE COSTS TO BLOW OUT.
AND FOR THE CARE OF THAT ELDERLY PERSON TO BECOME VERY ONEROUS
AND DIFFICULT.
AND TERRIBLE FOR THE ELDERLY PERSON AND
EVEN WORSE FOR THE CAREGIVER WHO'S TRYING TO KEEP THEM
CONTINENT.
THEY HAVE NO HOPE WITHOUT THIS SORT OF TECHNOLOGY.
GREAT INFORMATION.
I WANT YOU STAY RIGHT THERE, PHILIPPA
BECAUSE WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
FROM A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, OFFERING HER UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
ON INCONTINENCE TECHNOLOGY AS GROUNDBREAKING INNOVATIONS
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE LIVES, RESTORE INDEPENDENCE AND
OFFER GREATER DIGNITY TO THOSE EFFECTED.
THE BALANCING ACT WILL BE RIGHT BACK.
STAY RIGHT THERE.
(MUSIC)
I LOVE SIM FOR SO MANY THINGS.
FOR ONE, IT PROVIDES US AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT.
IT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE COLLABORATIVELY WITH RESIDENTS
AND FAMILIES, UMMM, TO, YOU KNOW, ESTABLISH INDIVIDUAL
TOILETING PROGRAMS.
IT GIVES THE RESIDENTS BACK THEIR DIGNITY.
UMMM, IT ALLOWS PRIVACY.
THE STAFF ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT'S ABILITY TO GIVE ACCURATE
ASSESSMENT.
WE'RE TOILETING PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED TO BE TOILETED.
IT ALLOWS US TO INTEGRATE THEM WITH STAFF, INTO MORE SOCIAL
ACTIVITIES AND YOU KNOW, TO DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS.
FROM THE OTHER COSTS, POINT OF VIEW, CERTAINLY IT INCREASES
OUR FUNDING.
WE'RE ABLE TO VALIDATE, UMMM, INCONTINENCE.
WE'RE ALSO ABLE A VALIDATE A TOILETING PROGRAM.
UMMM, THE NEXT THING IT DOES; IT ACTUALLY SAVES US IN TERMS
OF OUR CONTINENCE AIDES.
WE WERE OVER-PADDING.
THERE WAS A RELIANCE ON FOR STAFF; "IT'S OKAY, YOU HAVE A
PAD ON".
NOW THAT'S NOT EXCEPTABLE.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY ACCESSING PEOPLE.
WE'RE PUTTING THEM INTO MUCH LIGHTER, SMALLER PRODUCTS, WHICH
OF COURSE BRINGS OUR COST DOWN.
WELCOME BACK AND WE'RE SPEAKING WITH PHILIPPA LEWIS, CEO OF
SIMAVITA.
GREAT INSIGHT FROM KAREN IN AUSTRALIA.
YES.
GREAT INFORMATION.
SHE'S A GREAT ADVOCATE OF OUR TECHNOLOGY AND SHE'S A GREAT
USER OF OUR TECHNOLOGY.
TRULY MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
NOW SIMAVITA IS AN AUSTRALIAN COMPANY, SO FOR PEOPLE HERE IN
THE U.S., IS THIS READILY AVAILABLE HERE?
IT'S ABSOLUTELY READILY AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNER HERE
IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT'S A COMPANY CALLED MIDLINE,
AND THEY NOW HAVE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO DISTRIBUTE THIS
PRODUCT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS, CLICK ON,
MIDLINE AND YOU'LL GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY
AND CAN ACCESS IT READILY.
AND LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING, PHILIPPA, ON A PERSONAL NOTE
HERE.
YOU KNOW, INCONTINENCE; IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I REALLY HEAR
ABOUT A LOT EVERYDAY AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE
REALLY SHOULD TALK ABOUT MORE, TO BE HONEST.
BECAUSE EVERYBODY, OR MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE FACED
WITH IT.
AHHH, IS THE MEDIA PARTIALLY TO BLAME FOR THIS LACK OF
AWARENESS?
LOOK, I THINK THE MEDIA PROBABLY ARE PARTIALLY TO BLAME FOR IT.
WE NEED TO RAISE TO AWARENESS- YES.
ABOUT THE SITUATION.
I THINK WHAT PEOPLE FORGET, IS THE
FACT THERE IS THIS ENORMOUS AGING,
WE CALL A TSUNAMI THAT'S COMING THROUGH.
AND PEOPLE HAVE TO THINK OF IT THAT WAY.
IT'S A HUGE CATASTROPHE THAT'S COMING UPON US.
NOW WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AT LEAST 70% OF
EVERYBODY WHO'S LIVING IN LONG TERM CARE SUFFERS
FROM AN EXTREME FORM OF INCONTINENCE AND THAT THE
COST OF THAT INCONTINENCE IS, BY FAR AND AWAY,
THE BIGGEST COST OF THE CARE OF AN ELDERLY AMERICAN
IN LONG TERM, THEN THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL
BE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THE CAREGIVERS ARE OBVIOUSLY GIVING YOU A LOT OF FEEDBACK
TOO.
CAREGIVERS GIVE US TREMENDOUS FEEDBACK.
IT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE THING THEY HATE TO DO WHEN THEY
CARE FOR AN ELDERLY PERSON.
YET, THEY DO OFTEN LOVE THEIR JOB.
AND SO, WHEN A CAREGIVER IS TRANSITIONED FROM A MANUAL
PROCESS THAT GIVES THEM VERY BAD DATA,
TO SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY SMART LIKE THIS AND
GIVES THEM FANTASTIC EVIDENCED BASE INFORMATION THAT
THEY CAN GIVE BETTER CARE; HAVE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THEIR
RESIDENT; THEIR PATIENT AS SUCH.
THEY LOVE IT.
AND IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO THEIR
WORKLOAD.
TO THE QUALITY OF THEIR WORK AND THE QUALITY
OF THEIR LIFE AND THE QUALITY OF THE LIFE OF THE PERSON
THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AFTER.
GREAT INFORMATION.
GREAT TECHNOLOGY.
ONE MORE TIME, WHERE CAN WE FIND IT?
MIDLINE.
IF YOU GO TO MIDLINE.COM
YOU WILL FIND THIS TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH- -THANKS OLGA-
-FOR BRING THAT AWARENESS.
I DO APPRECIATE IT.
AND OF COURSE, IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON TODAY'S
TOPIC OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER,
JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE, THAT'S THEBALANCINGACT.COM
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