Nursing Homes Go High-Tech

mattlary writes "Here's an interesting article about a tracking system being installed in a retirement community. The system can track where residents are anywhere in the campus, and also uses cameras to keep an eye on residents. The community also contains numerous sensors so staff can track residents' activity."

Comments

We're all USA PATRIOTS here.

[cliffy2000]

So... how long until a government starts using this technology in a large-scale implementation?

Absolutely....

[acceber]

....nobody wants to have their privacy invaded with cameras, tracking devices, sensoring of activity... even if it's got a fancy name like "Personal Emergency Response System".

Just gives more reasons for our grandparents to fight against being shoved into nursing homes.

Re:Absolutely....

[randyest]

Right. Unless they don't want to die painfully and slowly from a minor injory that diasables them but could otherwise be treated easily if anyone knew about it in time.

Other than those people, nobody indeed.

You're exactly right.

Re:Absolutely....

[NevermindPhreak]

you could fall down a flight of stairs and break your back, and slowly bleed to death from it because you cant move to get help. you could be working on a car and have it slip off the jack and pin you underneath it, and die of thirst if nobody found out in time. should you be monitored throughout your day as well? i know that the odds of the elderly falling victim to what you said are higher than you or me, but where do we draw the line? and, how would you feel if you were suddenly on the other side of that line? im not trying to disagree with you on this, just trying to show you the other side of the argument before its your time to be on that side.

Obligatory Simpsons quote

[laserbeak]

Yay we can go outside again! Hmm, I don't like the look of those teenagers! *goes back inside* But on a serious note.. isn't this just a bit derogatory towards older people, it's treating them like animals. Has there been an outbreak of lost elderly people recently?

what TFA didnt mention

[ErichTheWebGuy]

is whether it can trigger an alarm if a patient wonders offsite. It's a bigger problem than most people realize -- an Alzheimer's patient wonders off, gets lost, sometimes for days on end wondering the streets. IMHO the most valuable part of a system like this would be the ability to trigger an alarm if patients cross a pre-defined boundary.

It did, however, mention that it records the exact time employees enter and leave the facility, so that they only get paid for the time they actually work. The infrastructure and underlying components seem to be there, but it seems to me like they are more interested in protecting their money than their residents.

The way it really works

[Animats]

"Thank you for calling Friendly Senior Services. Your call is important to us. All attendants are currently busy helping other callers. Please stay on the line, and an attendant will be with you shortly. If this is an emergency, hang up and dial 911".

Re:The way it really works

[ErichTheWebGuy]

ive fallen and i cant:

- get up
- reach the phone to call 911
- move
- speak

The point is, it really might be an emergency and you bring up a good point. People are human, that's just the way it is. Humans are limited resources (they can only do one thing at once). Let's also say that the emergency has happened at a time when, oh say the power has gone out, the a/c is broken, a foul odor is afoot, etc. and everyone is hitting the emergency button to get a quick response when they ask WTF is happening.

Nothing is perfect. But at the same time, this system is better than nothing. I used to be great friends with a lady who was 80-something and had a life-alert necklace. She really did fall and break her hip and arm, and would have had no hope of reaching the phone. That alert necklace saved her bacon on that occasion. This system, in theory, is making great progress on that front. Now, we just have to balance the (valid) privacy concerns with the functionality of the system.

All is good and well

[Lifix]

"The Personal Emergency Response System that will locate residents throughout the 41-acre complex, including the indoor pool, on a trail through six acres of forest and in 64 duplex and free-standing homes."

Until the power goes out, and the on hand staff must search the entire complex for all the seniors because they haven't prepared for the possibility. The system is great, however the staff needs to be trained to handle a power less situation and to locate the residents quickly.

One of the disadvantages with using a new system like the one described is becoming dependent on it.

Track the staff

[kmahan]

Another use would be to keep track of the staff. There are frequent news stories about how the staff is either abusing or neglecting the patients they are entrusted to care for. While working at these places seems like it can suck at times you are still expected to provide the patients with proper care -- not rough them up, ignore them, or rob them.

Re:Track the staff

[billstewart]

And there are a lot more stories about nursing home staff who are underpaid, undertrained, and so understaffed they don't have enough time for everything they need to get done, much less time to be attentive to the residents and/or patients (depending on the type of place.)

Higher-priced independent living places usually do better at it, but they're essentially doing a hotel's job (and often run by hotel chains such as Marriott), but lower-end places and places that need more nursing care are usually a tough job situation.

Freedom.

[starphish]

I'm a libertarian, am all about freedom, liberty, and keeping people's noses out of my business.

However, something that is orwelian used in one way, can have the opposite effect used another way.

My Dad is in a fairly advanced stage of dementia. He hardly talks, and no longer recognizes family. He is currently in long term care in a locked ward to keep him from wandering off. It would be a great danger to him if he was allowed to go where he wants. Currently, he can only leave if a family member comes and takes him for a walk. I did this today actually.

Something like this would give him greater freedom, and would improve his quality of life. I would love it if my dad could roam freely. If his whereabouts could be monitored, he could gain at least a shred of freedom.

Maybe lead to actually more freedom?

[Fiz Ocelot]

Perhaps if they can always monitored for location and vital signs, elderly people can actually have more freedom and safety? They would be more able to get out of the house and do things without worrying about anything.

Some people must choose between a nursing home or a live-in nurse, and this could help mitigate the costs. Maybe even more privacy, nobody will need to physically go in and bother them to see if they're ok, all vitals are constantly monitored.(I don't know if they can monitor vitals like that yet, but they will)

Nice....

[cbdavis]

I am really looking forward to getting stuck in a
home. 3 squares a day. 24 hour security. cameras or RFID tags to follow me. No worries or
responsibilities. Wait...sounds like prison.....!

Never mind

Sad...

[igrp]

As I geek I find this interesting. As a human being though, I do find it sad.

I recently had to deal with a legal case of an elderly gentleman. I can't give any details but it was basically Mr. American Dream: young man immigrates, starts company, finds a niche, works hard and eventually becomes wealthy.

Due to a heart condition, and I suspect old age in general, he required constant supervision. Since his kids just couldn't handle it any more (I realize this is harsh but taking care of someone 24/7 isn't exactly easy) they moved him into an assisted living community.

Now, this man was wealthy and, generally doing fine when he moved in. Almost two years and more than $9000 a month later, he was broke and doing not so well (emphasis is on not).

I got to see the place and on the outside everything was alright. Modern facilities, friendly staff, a pool, competent medical personell and a state of the art security system. That's right. Camera surveillance that would make the British government pale in envy. Even in some of the rooms. Motion detectors. Wireless heart monitors. Kinda spooky in an Orwellian way.

Of course, this was all not used for surveillance purposes - they installed all this for safety and/or medical reasons. And, of course, the patients signed off on it and were(mostly) aware that they're being monitored.

The problem is, the constant lack of human interaction (the most you could hope for is somebody coming by once a day to see if you were indeed still alive) is hard on those old people and it does seem to have a really negative effect on their health. Of course, I can't prove a direct correlation but it was pretty obvious that his man's deteriorating health at least had to do with him feeling that there was nothing left to look forward to.

I think this is one of those instances were technology is not helping but rather hurting us.

What exactly is the justification for that

[tarks]

As I read this I thought what the hell...

There is possibly no way to show more clearly that you want to deprieve elderly people of their human rights, to show that they are second class at best.

Somebody else here wrote that old people themselves like to have some support in living once it gets tough. Those that I know judge their ability to handle daily live as being wastly better than their relatives. But their are definitely some of those self-reflecting types.

So suppose you want to have help coping with your every day life. That means you want people to help you and you want them to do the hard part. Those things you tell them you do not feel capable of. And maybe someone who takes care of your partner who picked up the habit of wandering away at night. But this involves real people too. Not a camera and some remote operator. You definitely do not want to loose your privacy.

So basically you have the problem: Old people need a lot of help and care. Things that are expensive in terms of human resources by definition. Because you consciouly or not do not consider them worth the effort you try to find some cheap fake-solutions. In this case by reducing the help-and-care-problem to the fact of people tending to get lost and defining that the problem is them getting lost. Not them being disoriented or maybe basically being just lonesome or depressive.

I could rant on and on about how short-sighted, inhuman and plainly disgusting materialistic this is.

So long and thanks for all the fish