July 8, 2008
Seniors in Smart Homes
There’s little doubt that more technology is finding its way into our daily lives, and given that the number of older Americans is expected to double to 20% of the US population by 2030, the new technologies that are being developed specifically to serve this population are getting much attention. They range from the very simple, such as electronic reminders for taking medications, to the fully integrated, such as smart homes in which technological applications and devices assist individuals in performing daily activities.
In-home monitoring systems work equally well in private homes, or independent or assisted living communities. They don’t use cameras but employ small, unobtrusive, strategically-placed wireless sensors to track a person’s daily movements in the home, and report those activities to a monitoring station. The system provides safety by alerting caregivers to single events, such as a fall or burners left on in the kitchen, but they are also capable of building up a profile of normal habits so that gradual change can be noted. Such information can be very effective in catching early potentially troubling alterations in health.
For instance, if it begins to take the resident longer to traverse a hallway, caregivers are alerted and may follow up to see whether the change is significant. When this in-home monitoring system is combined with other technologies that measure physiological changes (such as blood pressure cuffs, weight scales and even monitors that measure heart rate, EKG, respiration and temperature), health care professionals have a very good chance to catch potential problems quite early. "It's a lot easier to treat someone when symptoms are just starting as opposed to when a full-blown crisis occurs. These electronic and online methodologies help tell us early on when trouble's brewing,” says Jeffrey Kaye, M.D., OHSU professor of neurology and biomedical engineering.
In addition to tracking the location of the resident in the home, the fully integrated smart home can actually assist residents in daily tasks. Tracking allows the system to deliver location-specific greetings and directions to the resident. The home’s resident may wear a radio-frequency identification key chain that unlocks the front door as she approaches or activates a video system that lets her see who is at the door when someone else approaches. Voice activated devices control lights, thermostat, media center and door locks. The “smart” microwave will pipe up with cooking instructions, self-program cooking times and then give a shout over the intercom to the room the resident happens to be in when the meal is cooked.
Although technologies such as these are still under development, current surveys show that older adults will install technology in their homes if it is reliable, can detect emergencies, is affordable, and nonintrusive. It’s a good bet that these more advanced technologies will be all those things within the next several years.
Denise Barnes, The Freshwater Group
Read More:
Wikipedia: Home automation for the elderly and disabled
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