In 1985, there were about 5.5 million functionally disabled elderly living in the community and an additional 1.3 million in nursing homes. By the year 2020, each of these figures is projected to almost double to 10.1 million and 2.5 million.
The dramatic increase of the elder population, and the increasing fiscal burdens faced by states and federal governments to provide long term care has ben referred to as the silver tsunami.
The silver tsunami will create an overwhelming demand for nursing care
Long term care, particularly nursing home care, is expensive with average daily costs of approximately $200. In an era of large federal deficits, it consumes a large portion of Medicare and Medicaid expenditures. The elderly, whether functionally impaired or not, prefer to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. The challenge is to find ways to control rising costs while enabling the elderly adults to live as independently as possible. Toward that end, a number of assistive technologies have emerged to monitor the elderly as they go about their daily living.
Home sensor technology lets elders stay at home
One promising solution provided by assistive technology is WellAWARE Systems, a home sensor technology initially developed at the Medical Automation Research Center, an affiliate of the University of Virginia. Initial prototype designs and development studies were conducted with Volunteers of America and The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, two of the largest non-profit senior care providers. The system has three elements: the home data manager, a computer hosting center, and caregiver reporting.
The home data manager is a computer installed in the residence and connected to a telephone line. Data is received wirelessly from sensors placed throughout the residence. Sensors monitor movement, humidity levels in the bathroom, movement of the entrance door, impact (falls) and a bed sensor which monitors duration of sleep, arousals, and time when an individual goes to bed and arises from their sleep.
Daily household monitoring
The computer hosting center compiles the data for each residence on and on-going basis. If, for example, an extreme temperature is noted from the heat sensor, staff monitoring the system can place a telephone call to the occupant to determine the nature of the problem. If there is no response, contact can be made with 911. Data received by the computer hosting center allows calculation of baseline information for such things as how often the residence leaves their home and the duration of time they are gone.
Baseline data on sleep allows the caretaker the opportunity to note abnormalities in sleep patterns and if, for example, a residence repeatedly gets up during in which room they may move to and how long they stay in that room. If, for example, a resident’s data indicates repeated visits to the bathroom it may suggest discomfort, a urinary tract infection, GI bleeding, prostate issues, or the flu.
When data abnormalities are noted, caretakers, doctors, or family members can be notified and the appropriate steps can be taken to determine if a medical condition needs to be addressed. Data obtained from the humidity sensor can determine if the resident is showering, and the duration of the shower. Again, deviations from baseline behavior may indicate possible physical ailments.
Caregivers examine computerized reports of each resident on a daily basis. Changes in baseline behaviors are noted, and when appropriate, family members, residential staff, or home caregivers can be notified.
Family members can access via the internet
The WellAWARE System will soon be accessible to family members through an Internet interface thus allowing the family the ability to monitor their parents’ on a daily basis. Other enhancements will soon be available.
Cost of the system is $500 a month and includes installation, as many sensors required for a specific residence, and daily monitoring. Services are provided on a month-to month basis. There is no long-term contract. In addition, the monthly fee is fixed regardless of the number of the sensors installed in a home.
Home monitoring is a promising solution
The biggest upside to WellAWARE is that it can potentially allow elder individuals to live independently in their own home. The sensors should allow for peace of mind for both the individual and their family.
While at present, a nurse reviews each subscribers profile on a daily basis the ability for family members to have real-time data in the future should greatly enhance this service. Eventually as additional features are added to the WellAWARE product, we can anticipate more families and elderly individuals will subscribe to services of this nature and extend the period of time they can live safely and with a sense of security in their homes.
(photo: Magic Madzik)
Related posts:
Randy Ryder is a Professor Emeritus at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is a publisher of Elder Parent Help.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Good innovative system for the elderly adults.
At $500 a month it is a bit high.