HaloCare, a new company using technology to support older people living at home, will be looking for staff across installation, healthcare and R&D.
Like remote working, the pivot to remote healthcare has been accelerated by Covid-19. The latest business to emerge in this area is HaloCare, a new Irish start-up that is developing a suite of technologies to help older people receive care in their own homes.
HaloCare launched today (25 November) and has created 20 jobs in Carlow. The company said that additional employees will be recruited throughout 2021 across installation, healthcare and R&D, as it focuses on developing new technologies that will monitor a person’s health data or predict the likelihood of a fall or other incident based on a person’s movements around their home.
HaloCare was founded by entrepreneurs David Walsh, Niall Kelly and Dr Johnny Walker. Walsh and Kelly previously founded Carlow-based security monitoring service Netwatch, while Walker was the founder of telemedicine company Global Diagnostics.
“Never before has there been a more compelling time to redesign the way we care for people, and now simple digital technologies allow us to support them around the clock from the safety of their home,” said Walker, who is clinical director of HaloCare.
“We are now able to remotely monitor patients, especially those who suffer from chronic illnesses, and keep them out of hospital by identifying very early warning signs of acute exacerbations and instigating appropriate interventions in real time, working closely with their care teams.”
Through intelligent technologies informed by expert medical advice in real time, HaloCare hopes to help older people continue living in their own homes for longer.
It will use AI and machine learning technologies that can be installed in people’s homes to support care workers. These will monitor vital health data, help prevent falls, keep people socially and culturally connected, and more. A team of nurses and care specialists will also be available 24/7 from a care hub in Carlow town.
“The evolution of digital diagnostics and remote therapeutics is going to enable the care profession to rise to the challenges in front of us all in a way we could not have previously imagined,” Walker added.
‘Forgotten middle ground’
Walsh, who is HaloCare’s CEO, said there is a “forgotten middle ground of ageing people” in our society. “Those who are too fit and healthy for nursing home facilities, but nevertheless need a little extra support to enable them to continue living independently in their own homes.
“There’s always a worry for older people living alone; what if they have complications or fall in the middle of the night, or indeed other times when there’s no one there to help? Professional homecare providers do a fantastic job but are often limited to an hour or two per day.
“We are passionate about protecting the independence and dignity of older people, allowing them to age in place and continue to enjoy their day-to-day lives.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD, said it was “heartening” to see innovations such as HaloCare emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, and that he welcomes companies that provide “wider and deeper support for older and vulnerable people”.
Keep an eye on HaloCare’s website to learn more about future job opportunities.
