CarePredict

Adie Blanchard | 2014-03-26 16:08:44

Many activity trackers currently on the market are targeted towards fitness, but the CarePredict system offers an interesting alternative, where activity is tracked and analysed to detect for any possible health concerns.

The wireless system is initially set up in the home where it learns the normal activity patterns of the person it is tracking. Tracker data is sent to a hub installed in the home which then uploads the data to the internet to be analysed in order to identify any changes over time. This also helps relatives and carers monitor the activity of older adults, by spotting early signs of possible health deterioration and alerting the designated person through text, email or push notification. As CarePredict states “tracking daily life patterns helps you to see small changes that hint at bigger issues, before anyone may think to look for them”.

However, this tracking system doesn’t come without some associated problems. Firstly, despite the concerns a family member may have, they may not be able to persuade their elder to fill their home with tracking equipment. Not to mention the invasion of privacy when it comes to tracking and sharing information about their every move. In addition to this, false alerts could cause worry when there may be in fact be no problem at all, and a tracking device with this amount of technology is surely going to come at a heavy cost.

But despite these potential issues, the CarePredict system could provide crucial information when it comes to detecting health deterioration, and at the same time it could help to put relative’s minds at ease. The use of this tracker could also lead to timely intervention and ultimately improve health and quality of life; who wouldn’t want to spot these signs early?

Adie Blanchard – Research Assistant

 

Sources

www.carepredict.com

www.technologyreview.com/news/525016/an-activity-tracker-for-seniors