Abstract
In the current social and economic context, many elderly are found living alone at
certain times, such as when family members are away at work. During these times, caregivers
who are out of home are unable to monitor and prevent potentially severe incidents, including
dangerous events like falls, faints, or accidents, as well as concerning situations such as
spending an unusually long time in the bathroom, frequent or unusual bathroom usage, not
entering the kitchen as usual, or health-related risks like forgetting to take medications, skipping
physical therapy, or engaging in minimal physical movement. Although the healthcare industry
has adopted various technologies to address some of these challenges and reduce risks—such
as surveillance cameras, wearable health devices, emergency call buttons, and IoT-enabled
home automation systems—existing products on the market still face several limitations.
The research team has recognized this necessity and developed a technology called
the “Well-Living Systems” to round-the-clock monitor concerning situations of elderly. The
system features intelligent monitoring by learning and predicting the normal behaviors of
residents automatically, such as the duration of bathroom usage, the frequency of being in
different areas of the house at various times, the number of times doors are opened and
closed, and medication schedules. It detects abnormal behaviors and adjusts detection criteria
to suit the unique behavior patterns of each household automatically. The system sends
notifications to caregivers when it assesses that an emergency or abnormal behavior,
potentially warranting concern, may occur. Importantly, the system maintains the privacy of
the residents by not using cameras, not sharing raw behavioral data, and notifying caregivers
only with essential information. It also helps monitor behaviors and reminds the elderly to
carry out activities crucial to their health, such as taking medications and engaging in physical
movement.
To prepare the system for broader applications and benefits, the test and validation
of the system’s effectiveness in real-world contexts of household with elderly individuals living
alone. This involves working with 31 volunteer households to expand testing, record data and
issues, and refine the system for commercial readiness. Additionally, a seminar was organized
to disseminate information about the system and its application in real-world contexts. This
event aimed to raise awareness of the research and its benefits, educate potential users, and
gather feedback and perspectives from stakeholders on the research outcomes.
