JP7598698B2 - Care support system for nursing care facilities - Google Patents

Description

This technology relates to a care support system used in care facilities, and in particular to a care support system for care facilities that aims to improve the quality of care services and reduce the burden on caregivers.

In recent years, the increase in the elderly population has created a need for many nursing care facilities. Nursing care facilities often receive complaints from users (those receiving care) and their families about the quality of the services they provide, and there is a daily demand for quality improvement.

Meanwhile, caregivers at nursing care facilities work day and night to meet the diverse needs and requests of those receiving care and their families. In such a harsh environment, the turnover rate of caregivers is high, and it is difficult to replace them.

Many attempts have been made to improve the quality of services in such care facilities and reduce the burden on caregivers .

For example, although Patent Document 1 does not explicitly state that it is for use in nursing facilities, it does disclose a system that monitors and reports the health status of people in home care.

According to this document, the objective of the system is to automatically monitor the health condition of the subject (person receiving care) without the subject himself/herself having to operate a button or the like, and in particular to notify the caregiver if a physical abnormality is discovered so that appropriate rescue measures can be taken.

The solution includes a life sensor 1 that can be attached to the subject's body and a life controller 2 that is installed within the premises. The life sensor 1 includes a sensor that measures bioinformation (information obtained from the human body) such as the pulse, movement, sound, and body temperature, and a transmission means that sends information from the sensor to the life controller 2. The life controller 2 includes a reception means that receives information from the life sensor 1, and a notification means that notifies the caregiver based on this information. At least one of the life sensor 1 and the life controller 2 is provided with a determination means that determines whether the bioinformation is normal or abnormal, and when an abnormal state is determined, the notification means of the life controller 2 notifies the monitoring center a or the caregiver's portable radio call receiver c. The technical content disclosed is that the monitoring center a takes necessary measures directly or via the rescue center b.

However, this document does not target nursing care facilities where many care recipients reside in the same location, nor does it cover all the items that need to be detected when targeting such a large number of care recipients.Furthermore, it cannot be said that it discloses any technology that will lead to a reduction in the burden on caregivers.

In other words, until now, there has been a problem in that it has not been possible to put into place a system in nursing care facilities housing a large number of residents that would both improve the quality of care and reduce the burden on caregivers.

JP 10-155749 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is the difficulty of providing a care support system for care facilities that can improve the quality of care services in care facilities and reduce the burden on caregivers.

In order to solve the above problems, a care support system for a care facility according to one aspect of the present invention comprises:
a) a care support system control unit that controls the entire system; and b) a caregiver portable terminal that can be carried by a caregiver and can communicate with the care support system control unit.
c) an edge router provided in the care recipient's room and a common space, for transmitting and receiving information to and from the care support system control unit;
d) a body-worn terminal that is attached to the body of the care recipient, measures biological information, and transmits information including the biological information to the edge router or the care support system control unit;
e) an abnormality reporting terminal that is installed near where the care recipient lives and can report an abnormality to the edge router or the care support system control unit;
f) Having monitoring equipment installed in the room of the person being cared for and in common spaces, capable of recording video and/or audio and transmitting the video and audio to the edge router or the care support system control unit, wherein the care support system control unit provides information to support the caregiver based on information transmitted from one or more of the body-worn terminal, the abnormality reporting terminal, and the monitoring device to the care support system control unit, either via the edge router or without passing through the edge router.

Here, it is preferable that the care support system control unit is a PC (personal computer) equipped with a CPU, memory unit, input unit, output unit, display unit, communication interface unit, etc., but these functions may also be distributed to remote locations as cloud computing.

In addition, a suitable mobile device for caregivers would be something like a smartphone equipped with a display unit, input unit, communication interface unit, etc., but communication functionality with outside the care facility is not necessarily required.

In addition, an edge router is a router at the end of the system, and is preferably one that has the function of communicating with the care support system control unit upstream and with each terminal downstream, but is not limited to this and may also have additional functions.

For example, some of the events (such as abnormalities in vital signs) that are analyzed and judged in the care support system control unit may be processed within the edge router. Doing so may enable a quicker response.

In addition, the body-worn device is preferably a bracelet device that can be worn on the arm of the person being cared for, but it may also be one that can be worn on other parts of the body (foot, head, etc.).

In addition, the abnormality reporting terminal is generally what is called a nurse call, and is preferably one that allows the care recipient to report an abnormality by pressing a button on the abnormality reporting terminal, but it is not limited to this and can be any type that allows the care recipient to report an abnormality by touching or making a voice call, etc.

In addition, the surveillance equipment is preferably a surveillance camera with a voice recording function, but is not limited thereto.
It may be a microphone, a speakerphone, or a camera built into a mobile phone/smartphone.

In this way, in a care facility where many care recipients live, vital signs information necessary for care can be automatically collected from body-worn terminals worn by the care recipients. Furthermore, the care support system control unit can comprehensively assess information from abnormality reporting terminals operated by the care recipients and information from monitoring equipment, and provide appropriate care services through caregivers, etc.

A care support system for a care facility according to a second aspect of the present invention is the system of the first aspect, further comprising:
g) a mat-type or belt-type bed mat terminal that is installed on a bed, measures biological information of a care recipient lying on the bed, and transmits information including the biological information to the edge router or the care support system control unit;
h) A mat-type or belt-type seat terminal that is installed on the seat of a wheelchair or chair, measures the biological information of a seated care recipient, and transmits information including the biological information to the edge router or the care support system control unit;
It may be characterized by having either one or both.

Here, the bed mat terminal may include what is generally called a bed mat sensor. Also, the seat terminal may include what is generally called a seating sensor.

This will help prevent accidents in the case of a dementia care recipient who refuses to wear a body-wearable device, for example, not realizing that they cannot stand, and getting up from a wheelchair or chair and falling over.

Furthermore, a care support system for a care facility relating to a third aspect of the present invention may be a system of the first or second aspect, characterized in that the information supporting the caregiver is a notification of the priority of care responses to the caregiver's mobile terminal.

Here, the priority of nursing care responses will normally be given to situations that involve life-threatening situations (such as sudden changes in vital signs), but for other situations, each nursing facility will be able to set appropriate priorities taking into consideration, for example, the waiting time after a call from a person receiving care, the attributes of the person receiving care, etc.

In this way, care is given to those with a high level of urgency, and even those with a low level of urgency can be dealt with within an appropriate waiting time, increasing the satisfaction of those receiving care and reducing the burden on caregivers.

In addition, a care support system for a care facility relating to a fourth aspect of the present invention may be a system of the first aspect, characterized in that the information supporting the caregiver is location information of the person being cared for obtained by communication between the body-wearable terminal and the edge router.

In other words, the current location of the care recipient can be determined based on whether communication is possible between the edge routers installed in numerous rooms and common areas of the care facility and the body-wearable terminal worn by the care recipient, as well as the signal strength and direction.

In this way, if a situation arises where care is required (such as the detection of an abnormality in vital signs or the activation of an abnormality reporting terminal), caregivers can quickly rush to the person being cared for, preventing serious incidents from occurring.

In addition, a care support system for a care facility relating to a fifth aspect of the present invention may be a system of the fourth aspect, characterized in that an alarm is issued when the position obtained from the position information of the care recipient is outside a predetermined range.

In this way, it would be extremely effective to issue an alarm if a dementia patient is no longer detected within the care facility (within a specified range) or if their location information is detected in a location where they are likely to leave the facility, such as near the entrance or exit of the care facility (outside the specified range).

In addition, a care support system for a care facility relating to a sixth aspect of the present invention may be a system of the first aspect, characterized in that the biometric information measured by the body-wearable terminal includes detection of a fall of the care recipient.

In this way, information about falls by the care recipient that could lead to serious accidents or illnesses can be obtained quickly, allowing appropriate action to be taken.

In addition, a care support system for a care facility relating to a seventh aspect of the present invention may be a system of the first aspect, characterized in that the information supporting the caregiver is a recording of video and/or audio before and after the occurrence of an abnormality in the person being cared for.

Here, abnormal situations can mean a variety of situations, such as a sudden change in vital signs or pressing an abnormality reporting terminal, but the scope of such situations may be determined for each facility.

In this way, viewing the recordings will help in responding to abnormal situations. Furthermore, if it becomes necessary to verify later whether the response was appropriate, these recordings will be extremely useful.

In addition, a care support system for a care facility relating to an eighth aspect of the present invention may be a system of the first aspect, characterized in that the edge router performs operations on home appliances in response to instructions from the caregiver's mobile terminal.

Here, the caregiver, upon request from the care recipient or by obtaining temperature and humidity information,
When it becomes necessary to turn home appliances such as air conditioners and televisions on and off, or adjust the temperature or volume, the home appliances can be controlled by operating the caregiver's mobile terminal via an edge router in the room, even if the caregiver is not in the room of the person being cared for.

It is preferable that the edge router has built-in means for controlling home appliances, such as an infrared transmitter, and that it is possible to remotely control home appliances such as televisions, air conditioners, electric fans, humidifiers, and electric curtains.

This will help reduce the burden on the caregiver as they will no longer need to visit the care recipient's room just for that purpose, and it will also improve the quality of care services for the care recipient as they will be able to operate home appliances quickly without having to wait for the caregiver to arrive.

In addition, a care support system for a care facility relating to a ninth aspect of the present invention may be a system of the first aspect, characterized in that a pattern of care-related records is displayed on the caregiver's mobile terminal, and care recording work is made possible by touching the caregiver's mobile terminal.

In other words, care record patterns, such as "assisting with meals," are stored in the caregiver's portable terminal, and information about the displayed care work can be entered simply by touching the caregiver's portable terminal.

In this way, the task of recording care, which was previously a major burden for caregivers, can be completed in a short amount of time, greatly reducing the frequency of missed or incorrect records.

This will not only reduce the burden on caregivers, but also contribute to improving the quality of care services by keeping accurate and complete records.

In addition, a care support system for a care facility relating to a tenth aspect of the present invention may be a system of the ninth aspect, characterized in that the pattern of care-related records displayed on the caregiver's mobile terminal is compatible with foreign languages.

In this way, even foreign caregivers who are not fluent in Japanese can record care tasks accurately and quickly.

In addition, a care support system for a care facility relating to an eleventh aspect of the present invention may be a system of the first aspect, characterized in that when providing medicine and/or meals, the body-wearable terminal 40 of the care recipient is recognized to authenticate the individual.

This makes it possible to easily prevent medication or food errors that could pose health risks or cause dissatisfaction to the person being cared for, thereby reducing the burden on caregivers and improving the quality of service provided to the person being cared for.

According to the care support system of the present invention, the various functions of the system can improve the quality of care services in care facilities and reduce the burden on caregivers.

1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a care support system for a care facility according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a care support system control unit of an embodiment of the system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of an edge router in an embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 1 is a photograph, used as a substitute for a drawing, of an edge router in one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 1 is a photograph, substituted for a drawing, of a mobile terminal for a caregiver in one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 1 is a photograph, used as a substitute for a drawing, of a headset of one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 1 is a photograph of a body-worn terminal according to an embodiment of the system of the present invention; 1 is a photograph of a body-worn terminal according to an embodiment of the system of the present invention; 1 is a photograph, used as a substitute for a drawing, of an abnormality reporting terminal of one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a bed mattress terminal of one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a seat terminal of an embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 13 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal for a caregiver in one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 13 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal for a caregiver in one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 13 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal for a caregiver in one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 13 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal for a caregiver in one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 13 is an example of a screen for entering nursing care records in one embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 13 is an example of a screen for entering nursing care records in one embodiment of the system according to the present invention.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following will show a schematic view of the scope necessary for the explanation of achieving the object of the present invention, and will mainly explain the scope necessary for the explanation of the relevant parts of the present invention, and the parts that are omitted from the explanation will be those that are based on publicly known technology.

Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of a care support system for a care facility according to the present invention.

The care support system 1 for a care facility of the present invention comprises a care support system control unit 10 that controls the entire system, a wireless LAN access point 11 that is connected to the care support system control unit 10 and transmits and receives data, a caregiver mobile terminal 20 that is carried by the caregiver and can communicate with the care support system control unit 10 via the access point 11, an edge router 30 that is provided in the room of the care recipient and in a common space and is connected to the care support system control unit 10, a body-worn terminal 40 that is attached to the body of the care recipient and can measure biometric information and transmit information including the biometric information to the edge router 30, an abnormality reporting terminal 50 that is provided near where the care recipient lives and can report abnormalities to the edge router 30, and monitoring equipment 60 that is provided in the room of the care recipient and in a common space and can record video and/or audio and transmit the video and/or audio to the edge router 30.

Furthermore, the bed may have a mat-type bed mat terminal 70 that is installed on the bed and can measure the biometric information of the person being cared for lying on the bed and transmit information including the biometric information to the care support system control unit 10 via the access point 11.

Furthermore, the system may also have a mat-type seat terminal 80 that is installed on the seat of a wheelchair or chair and can measure the biometric information of the care recipient sitting there and transmit information including the biometric information to the care support system control unit 10 via the access point 11.

The figure shows that an edge router 30 and monitoring equipment 60 are provided in each of rooms a to n (there is no limit to the number) in which cared-for persons reside in the care facility, that the cared-for persons are fitted with body-wearable terminals 40, that beds of the cared-for persons residency are provided with bed mat terminals 70, and that chairs such as wheelchairs in which the cared-for persons residency sit are provided with seat terminals 80.

In addition, the shared space is preferably provided with a number of edge routers 30 that can provide complete communication coverage throughout the area.

On the other hand, the caregiver's mobile terminal 20 is shown in the illustration as being held by each caregiver and in a shared space, but when the caregiver enters the room, it will also be present in the room.

Figure 2 is a configuration diagram of a care support system control unit 10 of one embodiment of a care support system for a care facility according to the present invention.

The care support system control unit 10 is composed of a gateway 101 connected to the edge router 30 and the access point 11, a router 103 connected upstream of the gateway 101, a cloud server 105 connected from the router 103 via the Internet 104, and a PC 102 connected to the gateway 101.

Here, the router 103 is installed within the nursing facility, and the cloud server 105 is located in a remote location, and AWS (registered trademark) or the like is preferably used as the cloud server 105.

In addition, the PC 102 installed in the nursing care facility is equipped with a CPU, memory, input section (keyboard, mouse, etc.), display section (display), etc., and is further assumed to be connected to a speaker, microphone, printer, etc.

With this configuration, storage of large volumes of data and high-speed compilation and calculation are performed by the cloud server 105, while display of data, biometric information, and images within the facility, and dialogue with care recipients and caregivers, etc. can be performed by the PC 102, which has the advantage of simplifying the configuration at the care facility.

It is also possible for other nursing care facilities to connect to the same cloud server 105, which allows information to be shared and used between nursing care facilities.

In addition, the care support system control unit 10 is not limited to cloud computing, and can be configured to be completed within a single care facility. In that case, there is no need for a configuration upstream of the router 103.

In addition, various modifications are possible to the names and division of functions of the components described in this embodiment, and components may be added or deleted, but anything that can essentially control the entire system of the care facility is considered to be included in the care support system control unit 10.

Figure 3 is a functional configuration diagram of an edge router 30 of one embodiment of a care support system for a care facility according to the present invention, and Figure 4 is a photograph substituted for a drawing.

The edge router 30 of the present invention is the router at the end of the system, and has built-in functionality that enables upstream communication with the care support system control unit 10 via a wired LAN or the like, and downstream communication with each terminal via short-range communications such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

The specific configuration includes a CPU 301 that executes overall control, a memory unit 302 consisting of various memories that store information, and a power supply unit 303 that includes a UPS, battery, etc. that supplies power to this device.

Furthermore, the communication interface includes a wired LAN communication unit 311 compatible with Ethernet, a wireless LAN communication unit 312 compatible with Wi-Fi communication and the like, a Bluetooth communication unit 313 compatible with short-range Bluetooth communication, a specific low-power communication unit 314 used for telemetry and the like, and an infrared light emitting unit 315 used for remote control operation of home appliances and the like.

For input/output, it has a USB port 321 for connecting USB-compatible devices, a microphone 322 for collecting audio, and a speaker 323 for emitting audio.

In addition, for display/operation purposes, there is an operation indicator lamp 331 consisting of a two-color LED, red and green, and a reset button 332 for resetting the equipment in the event of an abnormality in the equipment or operation.

In addition, sensors include a temperature and humidity sensor 341 that detects the surrounding temperature and humidity, an illuminance sensor 342 that detects brightness, and a human presence sensor 343 that detects the presence of people in the vicinity.

When using the edge router 30, it is not necessary to have all of these components; only those components that suit the intended use may be selected and used, and components not included may also be added.

Furthermore, some of these components may be removed from the edge router 30 and made independent, or made part of other equipment.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a surveillance camera 601 and an infrared surveillance camera light source 602 for nighttime photography are also built into the edge router 30 as surveillance equipment 60. However, these surveillance equipment 60 may be placed outside the edge router 30 independently.

Figure 5 is a photograph of a mobile terminal for a caregiver in one embodiment of the care support system for a care facility according to the present invention. The mobile terminal for a caregiver 20 of the present invention is a smartphone-like device equipped with a display unit 201, an input unit 202, a communication interface unit 203, etc., and the display unit 201 is a touch panel and also has an input function. It may be a repurposed commercially available smartphone like the one in this figure.

However, this caregiver mobile terminal 20 does not necessarily require communication functionality with outside the care facility, so it may have a simple configuration.

Figure 6 is a photograph of a headset connected to a caregiver's mobile terminal in one embodiment of the care support system for a care facility according to the present invention. A headset 204 may be connected wirelessly or by wire to the caregiver's mobile terminal 20, and if the caregiver's mobile terminal 20 has a built-in application with a transceiver function, it can function similarly to an intercom.

Here, a headset 204 having a bone conduction receiver is preferable because it is less susceptible to the effects of surrounding noise, etc.

This way, you can keep your hands free and still have functions such as one-on-one conversations with other caregivers or making mass alerts to a particular group of caregivers.

Figure 7 is a photograph (front side) of a body-worn terminal 40 of one embodiment of a care support system for a care facility according to the present invention, and Figure 8 is a photograph (back side) of the same. The body-worn terminal 40 is a bracelet terminal that can be worn on the arm of the person being cared for, and has a display unit 401 on the front side that can display information, and a touch switch 402 that can turn the display on and off and switch between different modes. The date and time are also displayed on the photograph. The back side (body contact side) of the body-worn terminal 40 has multiple (2) contact sensors 403 that detect contact with the body, a light-receiving camera 404 that acquires image information of the body, and an LED light-emitting unit 405 for the light-receiving camera 404.

The touch switch 402 is designed to turn the display on and off when pressed and to switch the display when pressed briefly.

In addition, a finger contact sensor 406 that detects contact with the body (finger) may be provided on the side, thereby forming a circuit that passes through the body between the above-mentioned contact sensor 403.

It also has a band portion 407 for attaching the terminal main body to the arm, and a battery (not shown) for powering each function.

Furthermore, it has a short-range communication interface (not shown) such as Bluetooth for communicating the detection status to the edge router 30. Note that Bluetooth communication is preferable in terms of battery life, etc.

The body-worn terminal 40 is configured to be able to acquire biological information such as pulse, electrocardiogram, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation level (SpO ₂ ), respiration, body temperature, body movement, sleep, number of steps, and calories burned.

There are many sensors already in practical use for acquiring each type of biometric information, so these can simply be built into the body-wearable terminal 40.

It is also possible to detect the level of stress. For example, a method has been developed that uses photoplethysmography, in which near-infrared light is applied to the surface of the skin and the reflected light is received by a photodiode or the like to measure heart rate, pulse waveform, etc., and then calculate the level of stress based on the results.

Other methods include using electrocardiogram waveforms (electrocardiogram waveforms) and other methods, and the appropriate method should be selected depending on the situation.

It also has a built-in six-axis sensor that can detect the direction of movement, orientation, and rotation, and can also calculate the distance and speed of movement.

This can be achieved by combining an acceleration sensor that can detect three directions (front/back, left/right, and up/down) with a geomagnetic sensor that can detect north/south/east/west, or an acceleration sensor with a gyro sensor that can detect the speed of rotation; there are already some systems in practical use, so all that is needed is to incorporate them.

The body-worn terminal 40 is waterproof and can be worn even when washing the face or taking a bath.

In addition, the battery is configured to be removable while the body-wearable terminal 40 is worn, eliminating the need to remove it from the body in order to attach or detach it.

Figure 9 is a photograph of an abnormality reporting terminal 50 of one embodiment of the nursing care support system for nursing facilities according to the present invention. The abnormality reporting terminal 50 is generally what is called a nurse call, and has a button 501 that the person receiving care can press to report the occurrence of an abnormality, and is hung near the bed of the person receiving care.

In addition, the abnormality reporting terminal 50 has the function of performing Bluetooth communication with the edge router 30.

The monitoring device 60 may be installed in the care recipient's room and common spaces, and may be capable of recording video and/or audio and transmitting the video and audio to the edge router 30.

Alternatively, the surveillance camera 601 may be built into the edge router 30, which simplifies the configuration. The surveillance camera 601 may also have a built-in audio collection function.

In addition, the surveillance camera 601 is connected to an infrared light source 602 for the surveillance camera to enable nighttime photography, etc., so that clear images can be obtained even at night or in dark places.

Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of a bed mattress terminal 70 of one embodiment of the care support system for a care facility according to the present invention, where Figure 10(a) is a plan view of a cared-for person sleeping, and Figure 10(b) is a front view of the cared-for person with their upper body raised.

A sensor pad 701 that detects pressure is placed around the upper body of the person being cared for lying on the bed, and the signal from there is transmitted to the bed mat terminal main body 702.

The bed mat terminal main body 702 has a built-in communication interface that communicates the detection status to the edge router 30.

If the pressure state of the sensor pad 701 remains constant, it can be detected that the person being cared for is in a deep sleep, if the pressure state fluctuates it can be detected that the person being cared for is in a light sleep, is close to waking up, or is coughing, and if no pressure is detected it can be detected that the person being cared for has at least the upper half of their body raised.

Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of a seat terminal 80 of one embodiment of the care support system for a care facility according to the present invention.

The seat terminal 80 has a pressure sensor 801 that is placed on the seat of a wheelchair or the like, and a seat terminal main body 802 to which a signal from the pressure sensor 801 is transmitted.

In addition, the seat terminal main body 802 has a built-in communication interface that communicates the detection status to the edge router 30.

In this way, by placing a pressure sensor 801 on a wheelchair or the like, it is possible to detect when the person being cared for sits down or leaves the seat.

These bed mattress terminals 70 and seat terminals 80 are important sources of information, especially for care recipients who are unable or refusing to wear the body-worn terminal 40.

Furthermore, it has means capable of remotely controlling home appliances 90 such as a television, air conditioner, electric fan, humidifier, and motorized curtains in the room of the person being cared for. Meanwhile, the edge router 30 has built-in means for controlling home appliances, such as an infrared transmitter 315.

Regarding the terminals described so far, preferably, the terminals that communicate with the care support system control unit 10 via the edge router 30 are the body-worn terminal 40, the abnormality reporting terminal 50, the monitoring device 60, and the home appliance 90, and the terminals that communicate with the care support system control unit 10 via the access point 11 without going through the edge router 30 are the caregiver's portable terminal 20, the bed mat terminal 70, and the seat terminal 80. However, these connection forms can be selected appropriately taking into consideration the amount of communication and the capacity of the built-in battery, and the wireless LAN communication unit 312 in the edge router 30 may be used as an alternative to the access point 11.

Next, we will explain an example of how to use a care support system configured in this way.

<Emergency response>
In the nursing facility, the care recipient lives with the body-worn terminal 40 attached to the arm at all times, and various types of biological information are transmitted from the body-worn terminal 40 to the edge router 30 24 hours a day.

From the edge router 30, information that has been edited by individual, by biometric information, by time, etc., or that has not been edited, is transmitted to the care support system control unit 10, where it is analyzed.

In addition, image and/or audio information synchronized with the above-mentioned biometric information is also transmitted from the monitoring device 60 to the care support system control unit 10 via the edge router 30.

Information regarding the care recipient is also transmitted to the care support system control unit 10 from other bed mattress terminals 70 and seat terminals 80.

Based on this information, the care support system control unit 10 automatically determines whether or not care is required and the level of urgency, either based on predefined criteria or by presenting the information and allowing the administrator to make the decision.

If it is determined to be an emergency, the determination result is sent as care support information to the appropriate caregiver's mobile terminal 20 together with instructions on how to respond.

For example, when it is determined that a person is choking based on breathing and heart rate, or when it is determined that a person has fallen based on information from a six-axis sensor, appropriate judgments can be made by analyzing biometric information together with image information.

The caregiver who receives instructions via the caregiver's mobile terminal 20 will immediately go to the person being cared for and take appropriate measures.

<Detecting the position of the care recipient>
Regarding the current location of the care recipient, if the care recipient's body-worn terminal 40 is detected by only a single edge router 30, it is determined to be in the vicinity of that edge router 30; if it is detected by multiple edge routers 30, it is determined to be in the vicinity of one of the edge routers 30 or in the middle of multiple edge routers 30 based on the signal strength, direction, etc.

Here, the method of determining the location is not limited to the above-mentioned method, but may be a different algorithm using the edge router 30, or information from the monitoring equipment 60 may be used together with the edge router 30.

In addition, if the location obtained from the position information of the care recipient is outside a specified range, an alarm will be issued as care support information.

For example, if a dementia patient being cared for is no longer detected within the care facility (within a specified range) or if their location information is detected in a location where they are likely to be away, such as near the entrance or exit of the care facility (outside the specified range), an alarm will be sounded, enabling caregivers to respond quickly and preventing serious accidents.

In addition, if a person being cared for stays in a particular place, such as the bathroom, for a long period of time, this can be detected through information from various devices and sensors, and such a case will also be treated as an abnormal condition.

In addition, some toilet seats are equipped with a seat switch or seat sensor, and information from these may be collected.

<Displaying a list of care recipients>
12 is an example of a display screen of the caregiver mobile terminal 20 of an embodiment of the care support system for a care facility according to the present invention, in which information on care recipients in rooms 201 to 209, who are in charge of a certain caregiver X, is displayed on the display unit 201. This information is also part of the care support information.

In the following photographs, personal information (name and face photo) has been masked, but in actual use, all information will be clearly displayed within the scope of care purposes.

According to this, for each cared-for person in each room, information such as a facial photo F, name N, current location P, pulse rate M, body temperature T, and blood pressure B is displayed, and it is possible to constantly know the person's current location, such as whether they are in their room, in a shared space, using the toilet, etc.

These are also extremely important pieces of care support information for caregivers.

<Press the abnormality reporting terminal>
FIG. 13 is another example of the display screen of the caregiver's mobile terminal 20 of one embodiment of the care support system for a care facility according to the present invention, and shows the case where button 501 on the abnormality reporting terminal 50 (shown as nurse call in this figure) is pressed (E), indicating that caregiver X is in charge, has received instructions by voice or the like, and will be handling the situation again.

Here, when the button 501 on the abnormality reporting terminal 50 is pressed, the image G from the monitoring device 60 is simultaneously displayed on the display unit 201 of the caregiver's mobile terminal 20.

Furthermore, the elapsed time E since the abnormality reporting terminal 50 was activated is also displayed, allowing the user to know the time required for response.

In this way, images of the care recipient can be obtained in conjunction with the operation of the abnormality reporting terminal 50, making it possible to provide appropriate care services.

<Fall incident occurs>
FIG. 14 shows yet another example of the display screen of the caregiver mobile terminal 20 in the embodiment of the care support system for a care facility according to the present invention, in which an incident of "falling" has occurred.

As explained above, falls can be detected using a six-axis sensor built into the body-wearable terminal 40, and when a fall is detected, information such as that shown in the figure is displayed.

That is, suppose a care recipient falls not in his or her room but on the stairs in a common area. In this case, the edge router 30 can determine the current location and obtain an image G from the corresponding monitoring device 60. The image G is displayed along with a display of the details of the incident (I), and the word "Response" is also displayed in red.

In this case, the caregiver is not specified, and information is sent to the caregiver in charge of the person being cared for, as well as other caregivers nearby, allowing for prompt action to be taken.

Furthermore, if a caregiver is faced with multiple care requests, prioritizing them would enable the person receiving care to receive fair and acceptable service and reduce the burden on the caregiver.

<Display in order of priority>
FIG. 15 is yet another example of the display screen of the caregiver mobile terminal 20 of the embodiment of the care support system for a care facility according to the present invention, showing the priority order of care responses.

With conventional nurse call systems, caregivers would only see the first call that came in, and the next one would not appear until they processed the first one.

In this system, reports from the abnormality reporting terminal 50, abnormalities in biometric information from the body-worn terminal 40, fall incidents, etc. are displayed in order of predetermined priority.

In the example shown in the figure, the alert message has the highest priority for a fall incident M1 that occurred 58 seconds ago, followed by a report M2 (displayed as a nurse call) from the abnormality reporting terminal 50 2 minutes and 41 seconds ago. Below that, two events that have already been dealt with (M3, M4) are displayed.

In this case, the subsequent fall has a higher priority than the earlier nurse call, so the caregiver can respond in order without hesitation.

As examples of priorities, the top priority events include choking, falls, and wandering outside the facility, and for abnormalities in vital signs, the priority is determined with reference to pre-defined criteria.

However, these priorities may be determined flexibly, taking into account factors such as facility, time of day, ability of the caregiver, and the circumstances of the person being cared for.

<Use of surveillance images>
In addition, images, especially videos, collected by surveillance equipment such as surveillance cameras are automatically recorded, either when an abnormality occurs in the person being cared for, or triggered by the caregiver, and image and audio data from a predetermined period before and after the abnormality occurs (for example, 10 minutes before and 30 minutes after) are recorded and stored for a certain period of time (for example, six months), and this also constitutes important care support information.

In other words, this allows caregivers to objectively know what has occurred, prevents complaints from the care recipient or their family, and reduces the mental burden on caregivers (the occurrence of high levels of stress).

In addition, such recorded images and audio can be used to improve the caregiving skills of caregivers, leading to improved quality of care.

Furthermore, if mutual harassment occurs between the person being cared for, their family, and the caregiver, early detection and providing evidence can help prevent and deter it.

<Remote control of home appliances>
It is preferable that the edge router 30 has built-in means for operating the home appliances 90, such as an infrared transmitter 315, and that it is also preferable that the edge router 30 is capable of remotely controlling the home appliances 90, such as televisions, air conditioners, electric fans, humidifiers, and electric curtains.

Here, when the caregiver needs to operate home appliances such as air conditioners and televisions, or to turn them on and off, adjust the temperature, or adjust the volume, at the request of the care recipient or based on information from the temperature and humidity sensor 341, the caregiver can operate the home appliances 90 via the edge router 30 in the room, etc., by operating the caregiver's mobile terminal 20, even if the caregiver is not in the care recipient's room.

In this way, the caregiver no longer needs to visit the care recipient's room just for that purpose, which helps to reduce the burden on the caregiver, and also allows the care recipient to quickly operate the home appliance 90 without having to wait for the caregiver to arrive, which leads to improved quality of care services.

<Night patrols abolished in principle>
Next, at night, it is possible to grasp the sleep state of the care recipient. That is, if the pressure state of the sensor pad 701 of the bed mat terminal 70 is constant and there is no abnormality in other biological information, it is assumed that the care recipient is in a deep sleep state, and it is possible to omit the round.

In addition, by implementing the various measures explained above, the condition of the care recipients can be grasped in detail, and therefore it is possible, in principle, to stop caregivers visiting each of the care recipients' rooms at night. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the burden on caregivers.

At the same time, it also improves the service for those receiving care, as they will be less likely to be disturbed by nighttime rounds.

<Easy record keeping>
FIG. 16 is an example of a screen (in Japanese) for entering care records on the caregiver mobile terminal 20 of one embodiment of the care support system for a care facility of the present invention, and FIG. 17 is an example of the same screen (in a foreign language).

Recording care activities is extremely important for care facilities, and caregivers spend a lot of time on this task. This task is particularly burdensome for foreign caregivers, whose numbers have been increasing in recent years.

Therefore, in Japanese, we try to avoid writing text on the screen of the caregiver's mobile terminal 20, and instead encourage users to click on the displayed care content.

The figure shows an example of a screen for entering records of meal assistance, and the contents of the meal consumed (D), for example, the amount of staple food, side dish, fluid, liquid food, etc., can be entered by touching (sliding or tapping) the screen.

Furthermore, the type of assistance (K) can be selected from full assistance, partial assistance, supervision, and independence, and it is sufficient to simply tap on one of these options, and for the location where assistance is provided (L), it is sufficient to select and tap on one of the options: room, hall, or station.

By simplifying input operations in this way, the time it takes to create nursing care records can be significantly reduced.

In addition, it is desirable to have such care patterns prepared for a wide range of care tasks, not just assistance with meals.

In addition, by displaying the same content in multiple languages (for example, Vietnamese BT, Tagalog TG, Indonesian ID, etc.), foreign caregivers whose native language is one of those languages will be able to reduce the time it takes to record and create accurate records.

<Using a headset>
In addition, when the headset 204 connected to the caregiver mobile terminal 20 is used, if an abnormality occurs and the caregiver in charge is unable to handle it alone, the mass notification function can be used to request support from all caregivers in the facility or from caregivers in a specific group. This can reduce the mental burden on inexperienced caregivers.

<Prevention of medication and food errors>
In addition, delivering the wrong medication to a person receiving care or the wrong food to a person receiving care not only results in a decline in service to the person receiving care, but can also lead to a deterioration in their health, so this should not happen.

To achieve this, personal authentication is performed using a body-wearable terminal 40 worn by the person being cared for.

Specifically, when providing medicine or meals, the caregiver's mobile terminal 20 recognizes the body-worn terminal 40 of the person being cared for, and the face photo, name, etc. of the person being cared for are displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 20 of the caregiver.

The method of recognition involves having an NFC short-range communication function built into both the caregiver mobile terminal 20 and the body-wearable terminal 40, which makes it possible to obtain personal information about the body-wearable terminal 40.

This can prevent medication or food errors. Also, by recording the authentication results, they can be used for future verification.

The method of recognizing the body-worn terminal 40 of the care recipient is not limited to the above method. For example, a method is also conceivable in which the caregiver wears a body-worn terminal 40 in the same manner as the care recipient, and the body-worn terminals 40 recognize each other, and this is confirmed on the caregiver's mobile terminal 20.

The nursing care support system for nursing facilities of the present invention can be widely used in the operations of nursing facilities and has great industrial applicability.

Reference Signs List 1: Care support system 10: Care support system control unit 20: Caregiver mobile terminal 30: Edge router 40: Body-worn terminal 50: Abnormality reporting terminal 60: Monitoring device 70: Bed mat terminal 80: Seat terminal

Claims (1)

a) a care support system control unit that controls the entire system; and b) a caregiver portable terminal that can be carried by a caregiver and can communicate with the care support system control unit.
c) an edge router provided in the living room and a common space to constantly check the current location of the care recipient, which transmits and receives information to and from the care support system control unit and transmits signals to the care support system control unit ;
d) a body-worn terminal that is attached to the body of the care recipient, measures biological information, and transmits the biological information to the edge router ;
A care support system for a care facility, characterized in that the care support system control unit sends information to the caregiver 's portable terminal to support the caregiver based on the biometric information transmitted from the body-wearable terminal to the care support system control unit via the edge router and the current location of the care recipient determined by the care support system control unit in response to a signal detected by the edge router from the body-wearable terminal , and that among the information to support the caregiver, events such as choking, falls, and wandering outside the facility are given high priority, and multiple of these events can be displayed simultaneously on the screen of the caregiver's portable terminal along with the time elapsed since the events occurred.

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