– Mum has had a security alarm for many years, but she has never used it. We were very afraid of her, says Karin Furuborg. In less than six months, her mother, Reidun Furuborg (87), had five nasty falls that led to hospitalization. The demented 87-year-old never pressed the security alarm that she wore on her arm. – For us it was a false sense of security, says the daughter. She thinks it’s about the alarm not being part of a routine. – Routines such as getting dressed, brushing teeth and closing the door are the last things to disappear for people with dementia. Such things are remembered, but what is new is difficult. New research shows that the family was not in a unique situation when the mother never pressed the alarm button. Reidun Furuborg has now received a combined safety and fall alarm that she wears on her arm. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news – A false sense of security A study from the University of Bergen shows that there is a large gap between access to and use of security alarms for elderly dementia patients. – More than half of those we interviewed did not know they had a security alarm, says associate professor Nathalie Puaschitz, who has been a postdoctoral fellow and researcher in the study. Natalie Pauschitz is currently an associate professor at VID University of Science and Technology in Bergen. Photo: Lars Christian Wallace / news She says that many people with dementia don’t know how to press the button either. – It is startling that the security alarm, which is supposed to provide security, provides a false sense of security. This is therefore not a good aid for everyone, says Puaschitz. Study on dementia and security alarm The clinical study followed 280 people living at home with dementia and their relatives over two years. The persons lived in Kristiansand, Bergen and Bærum. The average age of the participants was over 80 years. The demented person and their relatives were interviewed a total of five times. They were then asked about access, use and experience of the security alarm. The study had a large dropout during these two years due to deteriorating health and because they ended up in an institution. At the end of the study, 82 people were still involved. The study found that 54 per cent did not know they had a security alarm. 30 percent of the demented stated that the alarm had no value and that they did not feel any security. Found after 10 hours At home in Reidun Furuborg’s apartment in Kristiansand, several new aids have been installed since the last fall in summer 2021. The security alarm has been replaced with an additional fall alarm. She has a sensor in the bed that warns if she is gone for more than 20 minutes. There is also an alarm on the exit door and a camera in the bedroom. She also receives more supervision from home help. They now visit four times a day instead of two. – Now we are confident that she will not get out at night without an alarm going off. Previously, 10–12 hours could pass between each time she received supervision, says Karin Furuborg. The one time the mother fell in the shower at home, she was found by a home nurse after 10 hours. The falls led to long nursing home stays. Reidun had five bad falls that led to hospitalization in less than six months. Photo: Privat Made a compulsory decision Furuborg says that it is she and her sister who have managed to procure all the aids that the mother now benefits from. They have received them through the municipality. – I think it is important that people know that these aids exist. We have been very outgoing. They didn’t just come tumbling in here, she clarifies. She and her sister have also fought for their mother to continue living at home. After the last fall, a compulsory decision was made that the mother had to live in a nursing home. According to them, the decision was based on the fact that she had not called for help. Furuborg believes this is paradoxical since the mother is demented, and did not respond to the security alarm. – The criterion for being able to live at home is that you must be able to call for help, but here the other measures that can be taken were not taken care of, she says. Karin Furuborg says that today she is confident that her mother Reidun is well looked after at home in the apartment. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news Ask for routines in the municipality The study showed that the municipalities lack routines for following up dementia patients with security alarms. Researcher Nahalie Puaschitz requests routines in municipalities for who follows up and finds alternative offers when the security alarm no longer works. – What worked a year ago does not necessarily work today with a person with dementia. Because it is a progressive disease that develops quickly, she says. In Kristiansand municipality, there are no special routines for following up elderly demented people with security alarms, but in recent years the municipality has increased its efforts towards this user group. Among other things, they have set up a separate dementia team in home care. – Then the demented person receives follow-up from the same people. In that way, it is easier to catch those cases where security alarms do not work, says unit manager for home services Anne Lise Sandbakken. Unit leader Anne Lise Sandbakken in Kristiansand municipality says they have also established a package of measures for people with incipient dementia. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news – What will it take to get offers for additional services such as door alarms and sensors in bed? – It doesn’t take much. We work to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of these opportunities. It also costs nothing extra. Sandbakken says that the next of kin can take the initiative themselves or that the municipality considers that other measures such as door alarms can work better. – Many people want to live at home even if they are demented. We must constantly weigh the quality of life against what is justifiable, she says. New study Next year, the researchers in Bergen will start a pilot project where they will install new technology in people with dementia. Among other things, there is talk of video-based supervision carried out by a thermal camera that does not identify the person. The technology will initially be installed in people with dementia in Bergen municipality. – We hope this will provide greater security for people with dementia and their relatives, says Puaschitz. Hello! Do you have thoughts on this matter or want to give advice on other topics that concern you? Feel free to send me an email!
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New research shows that security alarms for the demented provide false security – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
