Several companies are offering remote monitoring tools aimed at helping older adults live independently longer, NPR's "Morning Edition" reports.
"Telecaregivers" use technology to monitor the actions of aging residents. The technology telecaregivers use includes:
- E-mail;
- Cell phones;
- Motion sensors; and
- Video cameras.
Services from one telecaregiver service, ResCare, can cost from $600 per month to more than $1,000 per month. These costs are far below the cost of nursing homes, according to "Morning Edition."
ResCare's telecaregivers can:
- Remind elderly individuals to take their medications at certain times;
- Alert family members if an older relative appears confused or distressed; and
- Help the individuals they monitor perform daily tasks.
Nel Taylor, a ResCare official, said the company generally helps people at the beginning stages of Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
Other companies employ motion sensors that can detect if someone being monitored has been in one area of the home for too long, and notify relatives.
Other services provide:
- Detailed activity information on a private website;
- Emergency help to the elderly if they push an emergency button or fall; and
- Daily automated check-in calls (Ludden, "Morning Edition," NPR, 8/24).