Image created by Faequa Uniza Rahman.
Many of us have been concerned for the health and safety of our elderly parents and relatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we worry how our family members can safely get the help they need. In addition to the stresses of a pandemic, aging-in-place is complicated by other factors, including the loss of one’s friends and family in older age groups, cognitive aging, physical frailty and the compounding effects of stress or chronic health conditions. In our working lives, we have become increasingly reliant on technology to keep us socially connected and productive and many of us have started utilizing technology to support our everyday lives. New advancements in technology in the built environment can facilitate living at home alone in our senior years.
A complete technological home system at the most basic level requires electricity and internet connectivity. Increasingly, internet connectivity with adequate communication speed can be achieved not just through wired broadband connections, but also through wireless hot spots available from cellular phone providers. The pandemic has brought recent attention to the issue of broadband access. Increasing access benefits people of all ages. Once basic operation and connectivity is established, safety and health technology features in the home increase exponentially.
Barriers for aging might initially involve difficulty with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living such as driving, meal preparation, house cleaning and managing medications. Smart cars, online shopping and telehealth are increasingly helping to ease some of these burdens. The pace of adoption of technology by older adults is rapidly increasing. AARP reports that in the past two years, smartphone adoption has increased to 77% of older adults. Helping seniors learn to effectively use technology is a key facilitator. In my own family, the desire to connect with distant friends and family members through video chats, exchanging photos and social media has been a motivating factor. However, security settings to protect private information must be user-friendly as we all become more conscious of how data may be shared through technology.
According to the CDC, one in four older adults falls each year. Emerging technology can help seniors to evaluate the safety of their homes. In a recent study conducted by researchers at the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing, a majority of the older adults interviewed indicated that they would be interested in a home evaluation app that would allow them to evaluate their homes to identify any changes that they could make to support aging in place. The information garnered via the app could then be used to communicate with health providers who could provide specific recommendations to prevent falls and facilitate mobility. Voice activation, large interface buttons, and simple-to-use programs help make these kinds of apps more accessible to older adults.
Sensors and appliance alerts can already let us know if we accidentally left the refrigerator door open or left the oven on for too long. Automated locks, doorbell cameras, lights and thermostats allow us to answer the door, turn on the lights and adjust the temperature through pre-set scenes and schedules or verbal commands which require no physical manipulation or ambulation. For users who do not prefer wearable technologies such as pendants or smart watches, emerging smart home technologies will soon utilize motion detectors, pressure sensors, and cameras in the built environment to track levels of activity, location, and movement. While privacy may be a concern, artificial intelligence holds the promise of activity detection and characterization for regular reporting and alerts to caregivers without sharing private video feeds
While smart home technologies increasingly facilitate instrumental activities of daily living, supporting basic activities of daily living is the next frontier. This includes walking, bathing, dressing/grooming, toileting, transferring, and eating.
Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) include bathing, walking, dressing/grooming, toileting, transferring, and eating.
Assistive technologies such as smart chairs and beds can help us to sit, stand, or recline. Bathrooms can be augmented with grab bars and shower faucets that we can hold by hand and activate with a button to pre-set water temperatures. Retrofit bidet toilet seats now help with personal hygiene as well as self-cleaning. Robot vacuums and automatic cleaner-sprayers can help with house cleaning. The world of fiction ignites our imaginations with robot companions and assistants, but these technologies require much more development for functionality, ease of use, and affordability. Integrating smart technology into the home is one of the best ways to facilitate aging in place today.
Additional reading:
“How Covid-19 Will Change Aging and Retirement”, Wall Street Journal
