Software & Sensors to Monitor Old Folks

[Renegade]

Sounds like a good idea so that you can know mom/dad are ok:

http://mobile.news.com.au/technology/sensors-to-keep-tags-on-elderly/story-e6frfro0-1226563738123

FAMILIES would be able to remotely monitor elderly relatives using high-tech sensors that check everything from when they leave their house to how often they turn on their taps and lights.

The sophisticated scheme, which will be trialled by the Federal Government over the year, would also measure heat in the kitchen or bathroom and could also capture medical conditions with connected biomedical devices.

Developed by the CSIRO, the broadband technology will use up to a dozen sensors the size of a wristwatch around a person's residence and is designed to make sure elderly people can stay in their homes longer and give peace of mind to their families.

The CSIRO will trial the sensors in the units of a group of about 20 elderly people living in Armidale, NSW, over the next year.

But if successful, the trial could become a key feature of the National Broadband Network.

I do wonder about the privacy issues though. Would be great to know all that stuff, but not sure if you'd be the only one...

Definitely has potential!

[TaoPhoenix]

Eew. If they're in that bad of a shape that someone feels the need to remotely monitor all that, then Give Someone a "Jerb" (HomeStarRunner) and hire an Assistant Home Health Care Aide to live in the house. Because someone who needs to be monitored if they left the house needs someone to wipe up the spilled cereal that will sit there for weeks because the Schmancy monitoring system doesn't have a setting for "cat puke" after the cat decided to scavenge it.

[Stoic Joker]

Eew. If they're in that bad of a shape that someone feels the need to remotely monitor all that, then Give Someone a "Jerb" (HomeStarRunner) and hire an Assistant Home Health Care Aide to live in the house. Because someone who needs to be monitored if they left the house needs someone to wipe up the spilled cereal that will sit there for weeks because the Schmancy monitoring system doesn't have a setting for "cat puke" after the cat decided to scavenge it.

I get where you're coming from but I think there is plenty of room between the extremes for this type of solution. Remember just because the folks aren't that agile anymore - Help I've Fallen... - Doesn't mean that they're automatically daffy as well.

[SeraphimLabs]

Eew. If they're in that bad of a shape that someone feels the need to remotely monitor all that, then Give Someone a "Jerb" (HomeStarRunner) and hire an Assistant Home Health Care Aide to live in the house. Because someone who needs to be monitored if they left the house needs someone to wipe up the spilled cereal that will sit there for weeks because the Schmancy monitoring system doesn't have a setting for "cat puke" after the cat decided to scavenge it.

I get where you're coming from but I think there is plenty of room between the extremes for this type of solution. Remember just because the folks aren't that agile anymore - Help I've Fallen... - Doesn't mean that they're automatically daffy as well.

This is an ideal solution for the folks that need help standing up to use the restroom that are still sensible enough to drive an assistant into medical leave on suspicion of mental instability.

These are people who still know what they need to do, just they are physically incapable of reliably doing it by themselves. The device would let them call someone when they need assistance, but spares the expense and stress of having assistants on site 24/7.

[Stoic Joker]

Eew. If they're in that bad of a shape that someone feels the need to remotely monitor all that, then Give Someone a "Jerb" (HomeStarRunner) and hire an Assistant Home Health Care Aide to live in the house. Because someone who needs to be monitored if they left the house needs someone to wipe up the spilled cereal that will sit there for weeks because the Schmancy monitoring system doesn't have a setting for "cat puke" after the cat decided to scavenge it.

I get where you're coming from but I think there is plenty of room between the extremes for this type of solution. Remember just because the folks aren't that agile anymore - Help I've Fallen... - Doesn't mean that they're automatically daffy as well.

This is an ideal solution for the folks that need help standing up to use the restroom that are still sensible enough to drive an assistant into medical leave on suspicion of mental instability.

These are people who still know what they need to do, just they are physically incapable of reliably doing it by themselves. The device would let them call someone when they need assistance, but spares the expense and stress of having assistants on site 24/7.

That's pretty much were I was headed - 24/7 care is expensive as hell - Did you mean to quote Tao?

[Tinman57]

I do wonder about the privacy issues though. Would be great to know all that stuff, but not sure if you'd be the only one...

  So what happens when gramps decides to have a go with the old lady next door?  Surely when his blood pressure shoots up and his heart rate doubles an ambulance would be sent just to discover the "Two Backed Beast". 

[mwb1100]

I think smart monitoring will be a big help for a lot of people. When my Dad's dementia was getting worse, he liked to get out of the apartment and wander.  My Mom had a hard time keeping an eye on him 24 hours a day - keep in mind that she needs to sleep, shower, go to the bathroom, etc., and Dad seemed to have a knack of talking his 'walks' during those moments.

At that time he really wasn't so bad off that he needed to be in a full care facility, but he was definitely not well enough to be wandering outside.  Actually, even when it became time to find him a full care facility, it was nearly impossible because he was deaf and mute and nearly everyone said that they were not equipped to deal with that (we fortunately did eventually find a place with a great staff run by a fantastic woman).

Anyway, at the time we looked for some sort of monitor system that would help and were unable to find a system that would meet our needs.  I'm sure things have progressed quite a bit since then; these systems will definitely be a big help.

[TaoPhoenix]

Eew. If they're in that bad of a shape that someone feels the need to remotely monitor all that, then Give Someone a "Jerb" (HomeStarRunner) and hire an Assistant Home Health Care Aide to live in the house. Because someone who needs to be monitored if they left the house needs someone to wipe up the spilled cereal that will sit there for weeks because the Schmancy monitoring system doesn't have a setting for "cat puke" after the cat decided to scavenge it.

I get where you're coming from but I think there is plenty of room between the extremes for this type of solution. Remember just because the folks aren't that agile anymore - Help I've Fallen... - Doesn't mean that they're automatically daffy as well.

This is an ideal solution for the folks that need help standing up to use the restroom that are still sensible enough to drive an assistant into medical leave on suspicion of mental instability.

These are people who still know what they need to do, just they are physically incapable of reliably doing it by themselves. The device would let them call someone when they need assistance, but spares the expense and stress of having assistants on site 24/7.

I suppose. However, sometimes those arrangements can be quite inexpensive because it's organized as free / reduced rent in return for the care presence. I do agree it's all about the fit, because the health aide can just supply a younger pair of hands to solve problems as needed and then go back to his/her life.