Local residents can stay safely in their own home for longer thanks to remote monitoring technology

Dozens of local individuals and their families have benefited from a pilot project to test and evaluate how the MiiCare remote monitoring kit can support residents to remain at home for longer, reduce avoidable care home admissions and promote independent living.

The Digitising Social Care programme at Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System has provided 73 MiiCare kits to homes across the area since January 2023. Most were issued to people aged 70-89 who had a high risk of falls, early onset dementia or memory loss.

A centralised artificial intelligence (AI) home hub called MiiCube connects wirelessly to smart devices and sensors around the home which quietly monitor vital signs, sleep patterns, daily routine and movements, and overall health and wellbeing. MiiCare’s AI analyses this data and alerts care givers, healthcare providers or family members to investigate any changes in behaviours or readings which may be early indicators of ill-health.

The MiiCube also houses a voice assistant named Monica who acts as a personal companion and a digital health coach – gently prompting the user to take medication or to drink more, or reminding them about appointments. As a companion, Monica provides news and weather updates, time notifications, and checks in from time-to-time as to how they are getting on.

The following benefits were observed during the BLMK project:

• Enhanced opportunity for early intervention and support through medication reminders and the alerts to changes in behaviours;
• Some individuals were supported to remain at home for longer rather than going into residential care or needing more care at home;
• Some family members were reassured and felt more in control as they could use the data to monitor and take proactive steps for earlier intervention.

Domiciliary provider, APT Care Ltd, shared this story of one MiiCare user:

“Mr D is 86 years young, and lives on his own. His three daughters live far away, and a granddaughter visits once a week. His history of falls led to a hospital admission, and APT was commissioned to support four times daily with personal care, medication, meals and catheter management. Mr D and his family were worried about him having another fall, lying helpless on the floor until a carer arrived.

“The ability to ask Monica to call in an emergency was described by his granddaughter as ‘a game-changer’. The family can access the dashboard to check in on his wellbeing – how he slept, how active he is… knowing that in the background, APT is also monitoring and will respond as appropriate. Mr D didn’t want to leave the home where he’d raised his family. With MiiCare, now he doesn’t have to!”

Clare Steward, Digitising Social Care programme director for Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System, said: 

“The analysis of the pilot found that the most successful element was having a known or trusted professional to actively monitor and support the individual. However, as the case with pilots, there were also factors that meant some of the planned benefits were not fully demonstrated.

“The pilot is currently in the final closure stage and the BLMK Digitising Social Care team will continue to work with MiiCare to support individuals with live subscriptions. All customers will be notified when their subscription is coming to an end, so they have the option to renew.”

To find out more, visit https://blmkhealthandcarepartnership.org/about/our-priorities/data-and-digital/digitising-social-care-disc-programme.