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Map of Care: 10 smart tools for the evaluation of senior care facilities
Author(s) -
Georgarakos Manos
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1002/alz.057548
Subject(s) - analytics , nursing , psychology , medicine , computer science , data science
Background Many senior care facilities (assisted living, nursing homes, memory care) are of average quality. There is lack of reliable and impartial information on care facilities. Furthermore, most people do not have the specific knowledge to evaluate their various senior care options in order to make the right choice. Method An interdisciplinary team of medical doctors, neuropsychologists, senior care industry professionals and information technology/user experience specialists analyzed the needs of older adults and their relatives. These needs were mapped to characteristics of senior care facilities and online tools were developed to assess different aspects of all types of senior care facilities (assisted living, nursing homes, memory care). In addition to a general assessment tool for each facility type, specialized tools (tech tool, design for dementia tool, accessibility tool) were included and in total 10 online tools were developed. These online tools were integrated in the Map of Care online platform for senior living, which features facility locations on an interactive map along with facility reviews and ratings. Result Users have the opportunity, after an in‐person visit or a virtual tour of a facility, to assess, compare and finally select the most suitable facility for their needs and preferences using the available online tools. Data from users’ responses to the online tools are collected anonymously, populating the Map of Care database. Continuous processing of this data will allow for the provision of senior care analytics at facility, city, state and national level. Thus, apart from impartial rating of senior care facilities, the Map of Care ecosystem will allow for monitoring of trends, gaps and unmet needs in the field of senior care facilities. Conclusion Through a democratic participatory process of user‐generated evaluations, reviews and ratings, Map of Care aims to empower older adults and their relatives to make informed choices about care facilities while providing vital insights to the field of senior care facilities with the overall goal of continuously improving the quality of senior care.