Caregiver and Patient's Comfort Investigation Based on Head Motion Behavior Analysis During Transfer Care

As well known the aging of Japan is thought to be more serious than any other countries, and its accelerated aging population issue has raised increasing attention of government, nursing industry and normal citizen. As reported, nearly 60% of older adults are sheltered in nursing home facilities that provide a wide range of care. For elder patients, it is very important to keep themselves healthy by matching or realizing “Diaper zero” program; Correspondingly, caregivers’ job burden has to be increased owing to increasing number of transfer care from bed or wheel chair to toilet. What's more, it is easy to result in caregivers’ body fatigue and overworked, especially for one caregiver-to-many elder patients nursing facilities. Therefore, it is urgent to establish a comfortable transfer care method/procedure for both caregiver (reduced physical burden) and elder patient (safety and relieved) during transfer care process in nursing care field. In this paper caregiver and patient's comfort investigation based on head motion behavior analysis during transfer care process from wheel chair to toilet by the care of expert and non-expert was compared. Especially elder patient and caregiver's head impact issue were focused and clarified based on MA analysis. As a result, both caregiver and elder patient suffered a more serious head impact effect through non-expert's transfer care process than expert. Additionally, non-expert's head larger acceleration change through MA period resulted in accumulated fatigue issue finally. In conclusion, expert caregiver was able to control the rhythm of whole care process and make elder patient more comfortable than non-expert caregiver.