Slashdot Mirror
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."
So... how long until a government starts using this technology in a large-scale implementation?
"Sensors on refrigerator doors that automatically notify staff when residents are up and active each day, replacing older methods such as "check-in" buttons or paper cards on doorknobs."
I hope when I'm that old I'll still keep bizarre hours. It'll keep the staff on their toes.
I wanna be the first boy on the block to have an RFID tagged granny!
Just gives more reasons for our grandparents to fight against being shoved into nursing homes.
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?
..that the nursing home never gets any retired slashdotters there. I'm sure the tin foil would be missing from the tops of the dinner trays and quickly turned into hats...
-Gamma
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.
bash: rtfm: command not found
"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.
In nature, there are neither rewards or punishments, there are only consequences.
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.
bash: rtfm: command not found
Now the participants I deal with are all cognitively aware for the most part, but even the sharp ones will get lost walking up and down a short corridor. Over the age of 80 there is a steep decline, though you'd be amazed at how active people are late into their 70s!
Only a few of the men I've talked to would take up something like this device willingly, but most if not all would love their spouses to have it. And I'm sure the wives feel similarly (I only get to see the men).
Would I want such a device? Probably not, but then again I am intimately familiar with what a hip fracture does to someone, and how scary even mild dementia can be.
-Ian
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.
Invalid Checksum. Retrying.
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.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. The story is a dupe, the topic is boring, the facts weren't checked. WE GET IT!!
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.
My father is in the first stages of
alzeimers.
So far, he can still remember where he
is and how to get back home. He goes
about his daily walks with no problem.
However, I can see the day when his alzeimers
advances to the point where he may not be
able to find his way back home.
Would it be nice to have some sort of tracking
on him so that mom (who is caring for him) can
find him, or better yet, a device that is plugged
into his ear that tell him how to get back home
based on gps and street map information; like;
'Walk left at the next intersection'; and
so forth.
We as a family will be needing something like
this.
Cleara