Assisted living technology is becoming better and better. It is a way of improving people’s lives as they opt for care in place.
Lots of the technology that can be used is simply used by the reimagining of possibilities for existing technologies. A simple example is a baby monitor that can be placed in the bedroom of someone who may experience respiratory distress.
Smart Watches
These wearable devices are capable of so much. Some examples are:
- Doing an ECG – Hold a finger against a sensor and the watch will take an ECG. Make sure the ECG system is FDA-approved.
- Detecting falls – Using specialized motion sensors, some smartwatches can establish that the wearer has fallen. They can monitor for subsequent movement and after a certain period alert someone to a potential problem.
- Schedules – These can be reminders for hairdressing appointments, a reminder to test blood sugar or to take medication, to name but a few.
- Geolocated reminders – To use this you set a location and a note. When you are at the location, the note pops up reminding you to buy milk, go to the pharmacy or meet someone at a restaurant.
- Sleep monitoring – This can be used to detect issues such as sleep apnea.
These are a few of the things possible.
Phone Apps
Many of the smartwatch features mentioned can be integrated with apps on smartphones or have apps that can store data for long-term records. There are however apps that will do some of the same things as smartwatches such as scheduling and geolocated reminders without needing a smartwatch. Other apps can be of benefit to being cared for in place.
These include apps to record sugar measurements and will calculate HB1AC results as well. There are apps to monitor exercise and apps to take people through workouts. Food recording is also accounted for and calories, sugar, and other elements of someone’s diet can be seen.
A Smattering of Other Things
We can’t be exhaustive in this post, but here are a variety of other technologies that can help assisted living.
Programmable Shower Controls
These let you preset water temperatures and set shower times if you need to. Regulating the temperature, though, is a great safety measure.
Home Voice Control
Beyond simply playing playlists, many devices allow voice-activated home control such as temperature and fan regulation.
Biometric Access Control
This is not just about security, though it is very beneficial in that area. They are also very helpful to those who have challenges with their dexterity and battle to use keys. They are also very useful for absent-minded people.
There are other forms of access control such as RFID, which removes the need for keys, but still requires that a transponder be carried in some form which makes it less suitable for patients with cognitive issues.
Tableware
This is not a joke. There is even tableware designed for use by Alzheimer’s patients. It also helps patients with other forms of dementia eat more cleanly and more healthily.
Self-fastening Shoes
These are shoes that tighten and loosen at the press of an inlaid button.
Conclusion
There is a caveat to all this. Not all products are created equal, and some are expensive. Caregivers must be aware of these technologies and at Lucky Dove, we ensure that our staff is 21st-century savvy as these tools can help improve the quality of in-home care immeasurably.