SweetTree Connect: Reshaping the Care Journey

SweetTree has always been driven by its commitment to deliver an exceptional standard of care. This is why we are thrilled to be introducing the Falls Prevention and Alert system by SweetTree Connect (STC), developed by the same team behind SweetTree Home Care Services. In response to a gap that only became apparent with years of dedicated service and experience in the field, STC was designed to foster a secure home environment and encourage independence, granting peace of mind to family members, and diminishing potential risks and levels of carer anxiety.

STC Home Care Monitoring System

How it Works

The system was originally purposefully crafted around falls, so this first version of the software prevents accidents from occurring, and if they do, it accelerates solutions and prevents further consequences from happening.

At this stage, the key components are:

• STC Presence Sensor – Tiny sensors that detect presence & movements in bed.
• STC Light – A light pad that can automatically adjust its brightness level.
• STC Control Button – A button with a switch to turn the lights on and off, and another switch to call for assistance.
• STC App – Available for the web platform and smartphone.

The presence sensors and lighting system automatically adapt to the environment, whilst the button allows the person to have control over it as well. All of these are connected to the ST Connect platform so actions can be triggered. The system is configurable, so what happens when a change is detected is up to you. For instance, as soon as the person gets out of bed, the system can either turn the lights on, notify you or send automatic reminders. The system was designed to keep relatives informed of any changes requiring attention, and that can look different for everyone.

Short-Term Benefits – Immediate Solutions

Each year, one-third of adults aged 65 and older are at risk of experiencing at least one fall, with a substantial 82% of these incidents occurring in the absence of immediate support. A seemingly unthreatening fall can lead to significant mental and physical complications. The constant awareness of these risks and potential consequences contributes to what we refer to as carer anxiety.

SweetTree Connect’s main priority is to prevent that first fall from happening and if it does, minimise its impact as much as possible. We have listed some additional benefits below.

• Prevention: It significantly reduces the likelihood of accidents.
• Quick solutions: In the event of an accident, the alert system guarantees a prompt resolution.
• Real-time automatic updates: Instant notifications can be set up for any other personally relevant developments, such as what time they’ve gotten out of bed, or whether they’ve made their way out of the house and into the community.
• Time: It’s important to remember that the carers’ wellbeing plays an essential role, and having this support system provides them with more time to take care of themselves too.
• Privacy and Independence: This added support allows everyone to have more personal space and privacy, encouraging more independent behaviour and adding to everyone’s wellbeing.

Long-Term Benefits – The Bigger Picture

All data and interaction history are recorded and stored within a unified platform, presenting a range of benefits that extend beyond immediate daily life improvements when viewed from a broader perspective.

• Patterns: It allows you to pick up on patterns over time, spotting indicators that may mean having to reconsider certain aspects that might have not been obvious otherwise. It can point out signs highlighting the need to implement new measures, for example. Moreover, checking those patterns can encourage you to voluntarily set up new long-term goals. For instance, you might spot irregularities in their getting up times and can then take measures to adjust them.
• Evidence and Accountability: Having access to the history of interactions and occurrences means more resources become available, should you need to extract them. A data record can translate into solid proof, often relevant for legal or medical reasons (either for case managers, lawyers, GPs, or any other professionals involved). It’s information that can significantly help the decision-making process if new arrangements need to be made or if incidents need to be verified.
• Budget Friendly: The system reduces the amount of human care needed, which means a financial benefit.

How is it different?

Security gadgets and individual healthcare devices are highly accessible in today’s market. However, SweetTree Connect is built around the person’s needs, specifically designed to seamlessly integrate within the context of their care as an additional tool to their existing support system. As it’s connected to the care plan at SweetTree, it also ensures a more solid monitoring and responsive backing system, so all developments are tracked and carefully kept up to date. Consequently, this helps identify indicators and longer-term patterns that allow you to look back and drive significant conclusions.

All in all, SweetTree Connect not only elevates the quality of care to meet our established standards, but also sets out a larger initiative, reshaping the care model as we know it. It seeks to draw new links between the points that make up the person’s safety net, strengthening it to ensure ongoing safety and peace of mind in the short term, and overall improvement and well-being in the long term.

Since 2019, we have conducted 15 pilot projects that have enabled us to reprogramme the system, making it as customisable as possible to successfully adjust it to fit everyone’s individual journey. But as the caregiver, only you can decide whether this tool would be useful to fit your purpose, and if so, to what extent.

As we are still in an initial introductory phase, pilots are free of charge for new SweetTree live-in care clients. For additional information on how ST Connect could prove useful for you, please contact your care manager.

New clients: Enquire through our contact form