Less privacy means more independence for elderly

It sounds like the worst nightmare of a freedom-loving individual — a system that can keep track of your every move and surrounding, analyze the history of your activity, and alert the authorities if something doesn’t seem right.

It’s likely most people would say they weren’t interested in such a life. But for one population group — the elderly — that kind of monitoring is welcome, even required. Elderly individuals living alone, or even those living in independent living facilities like retirement villages, are subject to a plethora of terrors that younger people can’t even imagine, such as falling and being unable to get up, being unable to get out of the house quickly enough if a fire breaks out, or experiencing a physical attack which will render them unable to reach a phone or cry out for help.

But a new system developed by Israeli communications company Xorcom solves those problems, and when the company introduces its Amity platform at next week’s Ezertech show in Tel Aviv, Xorcom expects a very positive response from hospitals, elderly care facilities, and families where elderly individuals and couples prefer to remain in their own homes instead of moving into an adult care facility.

The technology to literally monitor every step and action a person takes has been around for several years, but with today’s modern sensor equipment, readings are more accurate and precise than ever. Ubiquitous high-speed Wi-Fi and cellphone data networks ensure that the data is available within seconds, anytime and almost anywhere. Meanwhile, stronger-than-ever computer processors, and bigger-than-ever data storage capabilities allow accurate analysis of past behavior and the building of a “model of behavior,” deviation from which could indicate a problem.

Amity makes use of this technology to provide 24/7 remote supervision for the elderly, whether they are on their own, in an independent living facility like a retirement home, or a hospital or nursing home. (Of course, Xorcom says, the system can be used for individuals of any age whose health requires constant monitoring.)

Amity utilizes a plethora (at least a dozen; the system can be expanded to include many more) of sensors to keep track of practically every move by seniors, measuring pulse rate, monitoring breathing, checking movement, reading the temperature in the surrounding area, sensing if the stove or oven have been left on for too long, measuring the movements of an individual sitting on a couch or chair, checking to see if the individual is in bed after the time they usually wake up — or even sensing if the refrigerator door is open or closed.

The Amity system consists of sensors and cameras connected to a router/data analyzer. The router is installed in every room in the client’s house or apartment where the sensors are installed, and is constantly recording and uploading the information transmitted by the sensors. The data is then analyzed, and if something doesn’t “feel right,” Amity will alert caregivers, doctors, relatives, retirement facility workers, or anyone else that can check up on the individual and make sure that everything is OK. Amity sends out alerts using any number of methods, including phone calls, email messages, and text messages. Users and caregivers can determine the alert level (i.e., which events get reported and which don’t).

The system can even be set to monitor outside events, checking late-night knocks on the door against the client’s history. An alert will be sent out if the client is not used to getting late-night visitors, or if the door remains open too long, or if the individual receiving treatment does not return from answering the door.

Components of Amity have been introduced in the past, with Xorcom setting up sensor systems at a number of retirement facilities in the US. The Ezertech show, which takes place on Monday, June 10 in Tel Aviv, will mark the first time the entire system has been offered, company officials said. Dozens of companies will be presenting solutions at Ezertech to improve the lives of the elderly and disabled, with products, services and technology that enables them to live more independent lives, show organizers said.