I learned a new term this week, aging in place, a concept that keeps the elderly in their homes longer. With life expectancy increasing, models of this nature are vital; people are more apt to live healthy, content lives in the comfort of their own home versus institutionalized nursing homes. Unfortunately, mobility decreases as we age. “Falling is the leading cause of death by injury in those aged 65 and older, with 1 in 3 seniors falling each year” (Wang, 2014).
Scientists are looking at an array of products to detect falls, including radar and 3-D sensors used in gaming systems similar to the X-box (Wang). For most, the goal is to unobtrusively provide sensing for falls or other catastrophic incidences such as heart attack and stroke.
I support the notion that necessity is the mother of all invention. In this case, a colleague at work has been using small, relatively standard video cameras in conjunction with a laptop to stay connected to his elderly father in New York. He “checks” in on his day virtually several times a day. This allows dad to stay at home where he is comfortable and son to further his career half way across the country. Isn’t technology a great thing??
Christine
Wang, S. (June 2014) New Technologies to Help Seniors Age in Place. Accessed 15-August-2014: http://online.wsj.com/articles/new-technologies-to-help-seniors-age-in-place-1401749932
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