Promoting Wellness through Electronic Home-based Monitoring for Medically "At risk" Elderly Persons

There are growing numbers of medically “at-risk” elderly persons with chronic diseases, often living alone, who have difficulty managing their health and wellness on a daily basis. While elderly persons who are medically “at risk” have a strong desire to remain in their home and manage their own care, they often need assistance that is not readily available or affordable; and therefore, often risk more costly and intrusive facility-based care (e.g., repeated hospitalizations, placement in assisted living facilities or nursing homes). Currently, many well-known and advertised home alert systems directed at aged persons promote reactive approaches to medical emergencies (e.g., summoning help for a fall in the home) rather than being focused on alleviating the infirmities of aging such as dementia/balance and ambulation problems that are often the root causes of declining health and medical emergencies. A change of focus from reactive to proactive home-based monitoring systems to coach behaviors that support wellness (e.g., preventing falls) while responding to real emergencies are sorely needed. One must keep in mind that injuries from falls or conditions that cause unconsciousness (e.g., strokes) render reactive systems useless. In addition, the financial costs of inadvertent 911 calls (false alarms) pose risks to a community with limited care resources. Proactive home monitoring systems that combine the person’s medical history along with inexpensive home sensors (motion, pressure. heat& light) can be used to coach wellness and quickly communicate to family members (or neighbors) significant breaks in daily routines that signal true concerns (“red flags”)or “911” emergencies. This paper will discuss and explore options/solutions for improving the daily quality-of-life, health and well-being of medically “at risk” persons that support initiatives for “aging-in place” through effective, reliable, low-tech, low-cost, non-intrusive (transparent) electronic home wellness monitoring systems as one possible solution.

Keywords: elderly, wellness, home-monitoring, aging in place.