Technology May Help Baby Boomers

Posted on behalf of Jeff Pitman on January 28, 2009 in Nursing Homes and Elder Rights
Updated on April 24, 2024

As the baby boomer generation grows older, technology companies are stepping up their efforts to help aging Americans spend more time living independently rather than in nursing homes.

The International Consumer Electronics Show in Law Vegas featured an entire section dedicated to high-tech senior living with motion sensors as the main attraction. Tiny sensors in doorways, the shower, the toilet, and the bed were all being showcased in an effort to increase the quality of life for the aging generation.

By analyzing the data recorded, researchers and caregivers might be able to recognize behavioral problems that could signal medical problems. Unlike medical warning badges worn by seniors, the sensors success doesn’t rely on the cooperation of the patients.

Researchers are also making adjustments to a more advanced monitoring system using virtual-reality silhouette images to allow observation of posture, gait and other movements. The silhouettes are an alternative to more invasive video cameras.

The motion sensors and similar devices are thought to be the norm in the next decade.

The director of the Center for Aging Services Technologies, Majd Alwan, mentioned the significant financial savings by delaying institutionalization by a year or more. He also mentioned the benefits in quality of life for the senior.

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