When we talk to individuals in the community about our Routinify WellAssist™ platform, many agree that it sounds like a fantastic tool. There are a number of features and options within the platform, so we work together with clients to talk about their vision for wellness.

We sat down with Routinify’s Clinical Director, Tricia Friars, to help shed some light on this process and to share how others might better understand how Routinify can be a real support for them and those who care for them – their CareCircle.

Can you tell us about your professional background?

I’ve been working as a Registered Nurse here in New Brunswick for over 16 years. As a Registered Nurse I have experience in many different areas – from ICU, Surgery, Palliative Care to Memory Care. I’ve been an Instructor at The University of New Brunswick in the Nursing program for the past 13 years and I am a casual RN at Kings Way Care Centre in Quispamsis, New Brunswick. I love what I do. Having grown up going to work on weekends with my Mom, a Retired RN who worked at the Loch Lomond Villa, I became passionate early on in my life about working with aging adults. I truly enjoy this profession and all of the wonderful opportunities I have had to meet the most amazing people.

How did you join the Routinify team?

I was introduced to the Routinify platform and immediately knew it could be a real game changer in health care and wellbeing for so many people – not just in New Brunswick, but across the care spectrum in North America and beyond.

I joined Routinify in September 2018 as Clinical Director and have been working with individual clients and their families in the community as well as remotely who have adopted the technology.

For someone who is interested in Routinify, what’s the process for that person to determine if Routinify could be beneficial to his/her life?

For individuals who are interested in Routinify, I always start with a discussion to learn about his or her personal story. I talk with the individual client as well as their family and if there are formal caregivers involved then we also include them in the conversations. It is so important to include all of those who are caring for an individual – their CareCircle. I have conversations around their daily/weekly/monthly routines, about their wellness goals and what aspects of their wellbeing they want to focus on initially.

From there, a unique Plan of Care is developed based upon the information provided during the conversations/ assessment. We talk about this being a process of uncovering the “story” of our clients because this is an individualized Plan of Care. It’s not just about medications or appointments; it’s about uncovering goals and developing an individualized wellness plan for our clients.

Our goal with developing these plans is to support the long-term maintenance of our clients’ overall wellness. This helps them maintain the quality of life they currently have and offer preventative care in areas they may or may not be aware of presently. The Routinify platform provides 24/7 insight into how an individual is living their life – how are they sleeping? How active are they during the day or the night? How are they feeling? Are they taking their medications? What is their blood pressure or glucose reading? Is there food in the fridge? Routinify allows for peace of mind for all those involved.

How do you determine whether Routinify might be helpful?

Well if you think about it, we all use some form of personal assistance each day. Whether it’s a calendar with reminders or a to-do list at work – this is very common. So often, our clients come to the realization that this type of technology is right for them simply through our discussions and demonstration of the platform. It’s like having a caregiver in the home 24/7 – and that provides great comfort to our clients and their CareCircle.

What really comes across during these first meetings is that Routinify is a platform that can help you now and into the future. This isn’t just a platform that reminds you of specific things. The information is monitored through the CareCircle and Routinify provides continuing support to guide and support required changes or tweaks to the Plan of Care.

If someone is interested in looking into Routinify for themselves, what should they do?

We work directly with individual clients, families, home care agencies and their caregivers to integrate the Routinify platform functionality into their care process. It’s as simple as reaching out through the contact page on our website. From there, someone from the Routinify Team will be in touch to find an opportunity for us to meet and begin these first steps together. It’s usually very casual at first; we can meet at their home or even at a coffee shop.

I am so proud to be a part of this compassionate team and we all believe so deeply in this solution to healthy aging. It really does represent a new approach to holistic care for aging adults and their CareCircle.