An assortment of helpful technologies has been installed into a new Victorian building for six acquired brain injury patients. Dimi Kyriakou finds out how installers can use such an opportunity to expand their business.

We’re all familiar with how technology in a home can make an owner’s everyday life easier, but it’s far less common to hear of the situations where control systems and switches combine to help those in need.

However, there are some in the industry who have recognised that society is starting to take advantage of what technology has to offer – particularly in the health sector. And obviously, this acknowledgement can pay off for the custom installer who is looking to add value to their business and expand on current residential projects.

One such installer is Ian Corless from Zentec, who recently took on the challenge to implement technology into a building for six acquired brain injury patients with varying degrees of disability. Located in Geelong, Victoria, the Karroong house (developed by not-for-profit community organisation Karingal) provides functional living for five long-term residents and one respite resident.

In 2006, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) announced a commitment to reduce the number of younger people (aged under 50 years) with a disability living in residential aged care. And according to Brain Injury Australia, over 500,000 Australians have an acquired brain injury and three out of every five are aged under 65.

Established under the Victorian government’s My future, My choice initiative (young people in nursing homes), the Karroong house was designed to enhance independence and maximise opportunities for acquired brain injury patients.

During the eight month project last year, the team from Zentec was asked to integrate technology into the building to improve the lives of the occupants and give them the ability to control their surrounding environment.

“Most people take their health for granted. But if you have a physical or mental disability, then these services help to put back some ‘life’ back into the lifestyles of these special people,” Ian says.

“We have installed a Clipsal C-Bus system for control of the lighting, air conditioning, multi-room audio and the Ness M1 security system. We also engineered the system for low maintenance and universal maintenance, to keep future costs at a minimum.”

To complement this, the Clipsal C-Bus Avanti range of switches was chosen to make it easier for people with limited dexterity to operate them. They were wired to work for nurse call/assistance as well as lighting and ceiling fans in a room.

“There are eight zones of audio throughout the house and the occupant of each bedroom can operate their own audio, whether it’s from the local radio station or their own Apple iPod. We kept the control simple – this adds a large degree of comfort to the occupant as well as personal control of their environment,” he says.

“Although we would usually install a more complex system into a home, this was the right outcome for this application. The flexibility of the C-Bus system also means that it can be expanded easily in the future.”

On top of this, an access control system was also installed, which consists of a reader head located on the inside and outside of the door. Each occupant has their own unique card for access and this helps staff to keep track of their whereabouts without invading their privacy.

“For example, if the occupant in bedroom one leaves, the touch screen will start to count down to a pre-determined time chosen by the staff. If they haven’t returned to the building by that time, the system will generate an alert that will let the staff know that the occupant is still outside.”

As for Ian, working on such a project has presented him with the opportunity to give back to the community.

“In my 21 years of working in the custom installation industry, this would have to be one of the top five projects that I’ve worked on,” he says.

The team from Karingal are also pleased with the end result, noting that the chosen technology will play a significant role in caring for the acquired brain injury patients.

“Young people don’t belong in residential aged care. This is about giving independence back to these people and letting them and their families have a break,” Karingal ARCsupport manager Jacqui Pierce says.

“The technology featured in the Karroong house will enhance their independence, minimise any risks and give them simple control of their lives.”

Contact:
Zentec
www.zentec.com.au