COVID-19 Maker Challenge III: Nursing Homes

This is the third in a series of five programs that enlist the talents of engineers, designers and other professionals to create innovative solutions to the challenges confronting essential workers in their efforts to fight COVID-19.

The Challenges

Administrators and staff in nursing homes and assisted living facilities were very generous with their time, not only sharing the challenges they face in coping with COVID-19 but spending hours with the maker teams to help them better understand and design for these challenges. We owe all of our End Users a huge debt of gratitude for their selfless support of the program. 

Team Foggy Goggles

Nursing home staff often struggle with fogging goggles and protective eyewear, making it difficult for them to do their work. Having a solution for eye protection that does not fog will therefore allow them to provide better care. 

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Team Memory Boost

COVID-19 prevents many residents in long-term care facilities from enjoying the stimulating socialization activities that promoted good mental health. Nursing home staff are therefore seeking activities to stimulate mental health and memory for their residents during the pandemic. 

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Team Quickdraw Sanitizer McGraw

Staff in long-term care facilities face a daunting challenge in maintaining  clean and safe working and living facilities. This burden adds to their previous workload, promting the need for a simple and effective solution to have instant access to the supplies needed for cleaning and sanitizing. 

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Team Symptom Check

To safeguard the health of their workers and residents, long-term care facilities require health system monitoring for all staff prior to entering the facilities. This requirement imposes a significant administrative burden and many facilities seek a solution that is both cost effective and efficient. 

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The Solutions

Ventilated Face Shield

Team Foggy Goggles settled on a novel shield design, complete with 3D printed and off-the-shelf compoentents, including a small fan to promote ventilation and minimize the risk of fogging.

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Move and Groove with Pictures

To foster mental health, Team Memory Boost developed a choose-your-adventure game, complete with photographs, music, and movement. 

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Sanitizer Tool Belt

To help staff have easy access to essential sanitizing products, the team developed an innovative toolbelt design using 3D printed compenents designed to store sanitizer solution, wipes, gloves, and other essential items. 

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Symptom Monitoring App

The team used Okaya software to set up a mobile-based check-in system with automated alerts and workflows to monitor employee and visitor symptoms. 

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The Judges

We are grateful for the time volunteered by this esteemed group of subject matter experts. The feedback they offer our teams will undoubtedly inspire design revisions that further improve the strength of each solution. 

Antonia Bernhardt

Antonia is the Acting Chief of Strategic Planning at the San Francisco VA Health Care System, where she oversees the development and implementation of initiatives and leads an innovation portfolio designed to bring technology solutions to Veterans. 

Charles Steiner

Charles is the Director of Buisiness and Product Development at Cleveland Clinic Innovations, where he develops and commercializes medical technology in the fields of surgical innovation, surgical simulation, neuromodulation, and healthcare information technology. 

Mandy Smith

Mandy is the the Regulatory Directors for the Ohio Health Care Association, where she assists providers and associate members with regulatory, clinical, and operational issues. She is also a certified Physical Therapist and Message Therapist with over 20 years' experience in the long-term care industry. 

Anne Bailey

Anne is an Emerging Tech Clinical Specialist and board certified Pharmacist Provider for the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. During her career at VA, Anne in treating and curing Veterans with Hepatitis C. She has also served as an Executive Oficer for Strategic Operations and a Presidential Management Fellow.