The detrimental consequences of aging on society are gradually becoming more apparent, and this has caught society’s attention.
There is a need to encourage more technology that can help seniors live independently. The ability of medical IoT technology to effectively care for elderly people’s health has been shown to be crucial to find an answer to this problem.
The U.S. population is aging. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans aged 65 and older reached 50 million people last year. By 2030, the number could reach 78 million, which would amount to 19% of the country’s population. The Census Bureau predicts that seniors will outnumber children under 14 by 2035.
Additionally, this technology has a broad range of applications and is accessible to people of all ages and professions. The advantages of IoT in eldercare, specifically for health monitoring, will now be the subject of this essay. IoT devices can offer dependable and convenient comfort to the elderly and those who require special care.
IoT in eldercare can help family members or carers notice behavioral changes in elderly people who are lonely or living alone.
This can reduce operational expenses and improve the effectiveness of the healthcare sector. Additionally, it can lower government expenses while enabling the elderly to live freely.
How IoT is an Advantage in Eldercare?
Healthcare personnel may now actively engage with patients and be more vigilant thanks to IoT. IoT device data can assist doctors in choosing the most effective course of therapy for patients and achieving desired results.
We will talk about the needs and significance of IoT in eldercare in this section of the blog.
- Convenience
From the preceding examples, you may already have a general idea as to just how IoT devices might improve older people’s quality of life.
They may be really helpful by making a variety of activities simpler.
For instance, ordering additional toilet paper may be as easy as telling your voice assistant to do so, then watching for the package to come in the mail. Thanks to gadgets that let you switch on a blower or the air conditioner through your phone, it can also lessen the need to get out of bed at night.
By remembering your often visited locations and trying to navigate for you, smart automobiles can be useful.
- Safety
Senior independent living may be made safer with the use of IoT devices. For instance, if no movement is detected for a long time, you or your caretaker may decide to install a sensor module that notifies a response. This implies that following a fall or illness, aid will arrive more quickly.
Additionally, IoT devices may monitor fluctuations in temperature, moisture, or carbon monoxide levels and alert homeowners or caretakers if numbers decrease below a safe threshold.
- Healthcare Applications
Another of the most exciting uses of the Internet of Things (IoT) is in healthcare. IoT devices for healthcare may track anything at all, from heart rate to medication adherence. For example, a senior can buy an internet-enabled pillbox to help ensure they’re getting their prescription as directed.
Another option is for diabetic patients to utilize a wristwatch to automatically register their blood sugar readings online without the need for finger pricks. These gadgets could enable older people to live more independently and stress-free.
- Home Security
Locks, cameras, and sensors on smart devices have the potential to increase home security. These gadgets can notify homeowners of an intruder or just strange behavior occurring beyond their property. They may also enable older individuals to continue monitoring their homes themselves without just relying on a security firm. These users’ iPhones allow them to monitor camera feeds, unlock and lock doors, and switch on and off sensors.
The elderly may monitor and control their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with IoT devices. When a mistaken alert occurs, such as from a burnt supper, people don’t need to climb up to the ceiling to switch off their smoke detectors. They may perform it using their smartphone.
IoT Applications in Eldercare
The development of this fast-paced period has accelerated technological advancement, and there are now IoT in eldercare apps on the market. We will discuss a few different kinds of IoT applications and eldercare-related gadgets in this section.
- Patient Quest
For patient tracking, low-power wearable IoT systems are helpful. They not only save expenses but also make it easier for physicians to track and find patients faster, which, in an emergency, can save the life of a patient.
Gartner predicts that overall global expenditure on wearable technology will rise 18% in 2021 versus the previous year. This includes non-intrusive linked wristband trackers that may monitor the whereabouts of elderly people inside or outside of their homes or in care facilities. GPS advancements have improved the precision with which wristband trackers can pinpoint a patient’s whereabouts.
The elderly, who are at risk of being abandoned because of dementia or Alzheimer’s, can be watched over by caretakers. IoT-enabled wearables can track a user’s position in real time over long distances of connection, as well as their core temperature and other health information.
- Smart Home Devices
IoT-enabled gadgets provide seniors control over their physical surroundings in addition to producing data that aids in the prediction of their requirements by carers. Seniors may properly manage their household applications and re-imagine living spaces with the use of wirelessly linked devices, such as the heating settings menu, intercom, or locking system.
According to the World Health Organization, people aged 65 and older are more likely to suffer falls, which is the second-leading cause of injury, accident, or accidental death globally. Seniors who use IoT-enabled equipment may conduct daily tasks like unlocking door locks or turning on the sprinklers from within the house using an application on a smartphone or a tablet without risking damage.
For instance, lengthy, reduced technology can allow older citizens to access challenging spaces like the cellar, porch, attic, as well as outside. When a door opens, a leak occurs, or there are any other potentially hazardous developments, this technology promptly alerts the elderly and makes the environment safer for them.
- Smart Lighting
One important use for smart devices is smart lighting. Seniors can use IoT-enabled applications that make use of long-range, low-power technology to automatically regulate the illumination both in and outside of their houses. For increased efficiency, utilities can connect with some other applications via the IoT.
With the aid of scheduled lighting capabilities included within the smart led lighting, which reduces the need to manually toggle on and off lights, seniors may safely navigate their homes day and night. Most smart lights come with a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth transceiver and may be easily and directly controlled using voice recognition. Due to its lengthy, reduced power connection, the technology will work regardless of where the light is placed.
- Communication Devices
Because of their advanced age, seniors who reside in facilities for the elderly frequently experience loneliness and feel isolated. They may easily communicate with their family members via voice activation and IoT gadgets. Because of IoT advancements, the elderly will eventually be able to speak with robotic pets in the same way they do with their family members.
Use Cases of IoT for Seniors that You Need to Know
IoT has enormous promise to assist the aged with common chronic disorders in managing these issues while maintaining their independence. These are just a handful of the ways that the Internet of things (IoT) is benefiting older individuals.
- Diabetes
The IoT revolution of all chronic conditions may start with diabetes. This is because a number of diabetes-related factors, such as glucose, weight, diet, and skin, necessitate continuous supervision. Hopefully, IoT developments are already working to make diabetes easier to manage for older people.
People with diabetes may now measure their skin temperature with the aid of a new “smart sock” that has recently hit the market. These socks help stop sores and ulcers while they begin by letting patients and doctors know about “hot areas” that can indicate inflammation. The glucose monitor, which resembles a wristwatch and allows you to gently measure blood sugar levels, is another interesting gadget.
Because once blood glucose has been assessed, this information is immediately transferred to the user’s phone so that it may be communicated with caretakers and health professionals.
- COPD
Smart technologies are making controlling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease simpler, despite the fact that this ailment is notorious for being challenging to treat.
Since these variables might aggravate difficulties if they go outside of the acceptable range, the elderly with COPD nowadays can purchase sensors that monitor and control the temperature and quality of their homes.
In addition to that, seniors with COPD may even decide to spend money on a smart vest that makes breathing easier and lets them remotely monitor their development via an app.
Additionally, researchers are developing a smart inhalation that notifies the elderly when the medication within has run out and instructs them about how much to shake before each usage.
- High Blood Pressure
The elderly may no longer need to continuously check their blood pressure with a cuff thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Also, they can just put on a smartwatch or bracelet that monitors it for them as an alternative. These tools can alert users when their blood pressure has exceeded safe levels.
Most of them additionally serve as activity trackers, recording the number of steps walked and the amount of sleep documented to assist users to become healthier overall.
- Heart Disease
Due to the fact that many people don’t experience symptoms until the disease is already advanced, this ailment can be challenging to treat.
Fortunately, IoT gadgets can assist in heart rate monitoring and notify doctors of any trouble before everything worsens.
Additionally, if the patient exhibits heart attack symptoms, these devices may notify emergency personnel, ensuring that assistance is provided as soon as possible.
- Arthritis
Numerous IoT devices that fall under the ease section may benefit those who have arthritis. This condition may make simple everyday tasks difficult, but IoT devices are slowly changing that reality.
Furthermore, there are several other Internet of Things (IoT) devices that can help the elderly stay in their homes. With the aid of smart goods like smart refrigerators, smart lighting, smart blinds and shades, and smart thermostats, individuals who suffer from severe arthritis may be able to live freely.
- Mobility Issues
IoT gadgets are helping seniors who struggle with mobility overcome many of their problems. A smart thermostat and lighting controls can help senior citizens with mobility impairments minimize the amount of walking they must do within their homes.
They could also install a smart doorbell equipped with a camera so they can check who is at their door without having to get up from their seat.
A patient recovering from surgery or on bedrest can alert their caregiver if they get up and need help getting to the toilet or kitchen by installing a smart pad in their bed.
Also Read- How IoT Transforming Healthcare Industry: Benefits, Innovations, and Challenges
Why Choose Quytech to Build a Medical IoT Solution?
We hope you found this blog very informative and are eager to use IoT technology to grow your healthcare business.
With the knowledge and facts mentioned above, you can also make your own decisions on the IoT application you wish to use for eldercare.
It goes without saying that you select the best when it comes to your business development. We at Quytech are experts in IoT-based technology and can assist you in growing your company.
We help you create your application by providing end-to-end services and also offer post-development support.
Get in touch with us to know more about the advantages of hiring app developers from Quytech. Our development team excels at creating IoT-based applications.
Conclusion–
To sum up, the Internet of Things (IoT) technology is among the most exciting innovations concerning independent senior living. IoT and other technologies do not provide a single solution to all of the issues that elderly care facilities encounter while providing services to the elderly.
Most elderly people might be reluctant to adopt these new technologies given the hazards. Nonetheless, after experiencing the comfort and independence that this technology can offer, people can begin to view it as vital.