COVID-19, the 2nd Wave

In this new COVID-19 Pandemic Phase, let’s ensure our loved ones are safe and properly taking their medications.

Well, the COVID-19 second wave is among us – so it’s time to buckle down again. What have we learned from the first wave? What worked? What didn’t? What can we do to improve?

1. Masks
2. Washing hands
3. Physical distancing
4. Contact tracing, notifying those with whom there may have been contact with an infected patient, has proven most difficult. Canada has developed and is promoting a mobile app to securely and confidentially provide tracing and notifications. Fortunately with good intentions, it has been accepted in most parts of the country, politics aside.
5. Family caregivers are important links to caring for those in need.
6. Health overrides Business in importance to restoring the economy.

COVID-19 is NOT like the FLU! While the transmission path is similar, the effect is much more severe, serious and deadly. The key lessons-learned – when these activities are breached, we fail.

The Elderly

Seniors were the most adversely affected in the first wave of the pandemic. Not only from a morbidity viewpoint, but also from their communication, mobility and adherence needs. The serious lack of personal support workers, inability of family caregivers to attend to loved ones and even mixed public messages have increased the likelihood of poor outcomes. Perhaps in this second wave, we can behave more proactively.

The RxPense

The RxPense, currently in clinical trials, shows much promise in remotely managing our most loved and aging population. Automatically and securely dispensing pharmacist-filled and validated medications in blister packages, the RxPense notifies patients to take their medications and alerts caregivers by email or SMS when they do not. The RxPense supports the collection, recording and archiving of vitals along with medication and adherence information in the Cloud. Caregivers have access to their patients 24×7 by secure videoconference from any platform, to the IoT connected RxPense.

Seniors can respond to authentication requests by PIN, RFID tag or Voice commands. Surveys and questionnaires may be delivered and collected in real-time, to any individual, group or all RxPense devices, regardless of location.

Emergency help is also available with Panique, wirelessly connected to the RxPense. In the event of a fall or panic button activation, the RxPense will immediately alarm and notify caregivers of the event by SMS and email.

The inherent beauty of the RxPense also reduces the need for live, face to face meetings or deliveries of medications. This helps alleviate some of the staffing problems our institutions and agencies now face.

Communication; improved. Resources; saved. Medication Adherence; increased. End of story. Stay safe!