The Viterion 100 TeleHealth Monitor (www.viterion.com) can help reduce a patient's trips to the doctor and in-home nursing visits.
The monitor is a small device that can relay vital-sign measurements via phone line to a nurse or doctor. Patients measure their own blood pressure, weight, temperature and other vital signs using monitors that are attached to the machine; a display on the Viterion screen guides patients through the self-checkup. And like a medical professional, the Viterion 100 asks the patient health-related questions, such as "Did you sleep well?" and "Are you tired today?"
Honeywell International, which sells Genesis vital-signs monitors for home use, will soon launch a new model with a video link-up and camera. Nurses will then be able to monitor, for instance, whether a wound is healing properly.
Such high-tech gadgetry can help the elderly stay mentally and physically fit. A study by the University at Buffalo's Center for Assistive Technology examined two groups of frail seniors who lived alone. The homes of seniors in one group were outfitted with lighting, motion and security sensors. These seniors were also given computers with Internet access. In the other group, no changes were made to the seniors' homes. Dr. Machiko Tomita, a clinical associate professor at the university, says the study showed that seniors in the high-tech homes "maintained physical and cognitive functions," while the other group "showed significant declines in both."
Other "smart home" gadgets aimed at helping seniors avoid or postpone institutional care are on the drawing board. One device would monitor a person's walking pace; a change in gait could alert the family to problems. Researchers are also developing sensors that would determine whether a person has neglected to eat or take medicine.
Will robots ever be able to remind a senior to take medication or to detect changes in behavior? Japan's RI-MAN robot is already capable of seeing, hearing and smelling, as well as carrying a 26-pound doll, but it's far from being ready for real life.
"Until we can really deal with the dexterity issues of robots being able to walk up steps and handle objects, we're many years away," says Russell Bodoff, of the Center for Aging Services Technologies, a coalition of 400 companies.
As more technology moves into the home, some critics decry Big Brother-like intrusions on privacy. But as one expert notes, "What's a bigger loss of privacy than moving into a nursing home?"