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 finding an answer to this problem.
The report shows that In 2022, about 17.13 percent of the US population was over 65 years of age.
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 caretakers notice behavioral changes in elderly people who are 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 are now actively engaged with patients and are more vigilant, thanks to the Internet of Things technology. 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.
Moreover, smart automobiles enabled with the Internet of Things technology can be useful, as they store the information of your often-visited locations and navigate through the same.
- Safety
Seniors who independently live alone feel 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, and the help 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 use of the Internet of Things (IoT) is in integration with healthcare apps for tracking health signs. IoT devices for healthcare track anything, 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.
- Personalized Care
IoT devices also help in offering personalized care to elderly patients. Every patient is different, and so does the care it requires. Hence, medical devices enabled with IoT can collect data regarding sleep patterns, health vitals, and lifestyle habits.
These data can be used to gain insights into the patient’s requirements, thus helping in providing personalized care.
- 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.
Use Cases of IoT for Seniors that You Need to Know
The following are the use cases of Internet of Things technology in elderly care:
- Wearable Health Monitoring Devices
The IoT technology is used with wearable health monitoring devices to track essential health vitals, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and others. Smartwatches and medical wearables are common types of health monitoring devices used in the elderly care industry.
These devices collect and analyze health data in real time, and if something goes wrong, it instantly alerts the caretakers and even healthcare professionals, in case of emergencies.
- Smart Medication Dispensers
IoT-driven pill dispensers provide medications to elders at the prescribed schedule. These kinds of devices also send reminders to the elderly individual’s smartphone or caregiver’s device if a dose is missed.
Moreover, a few smart medication dispensers enabled with artificial intelligence can also connect with pharmacies to refill medications on time. In short, smart medication dispensers take care of all the medication-related activities.
- Fall Detection Systems
Senior people are highly vulnerable to sudden falls that cause major injuries, and even death. Hence, advanced fall detection systems play a vital role in alerting caregivers on time in case of a fall.
Sensors enabled with IoT technology are installed in rooms, or the whole home to detect changes in movements or sudden falls. If an elder person falls, these IoT-driven sensors have alarm systems that alert the emergency services, ensuring medical assistance arrives on time.
- Smart Home Automation
Another use case of IoT technology is that it automates various appliances, such as lights, air conditioners, medicine dispensers, and more, providing safety and convenience for old-aged people.
Let’s understand with an example. Smart thermostats powered by IoT can adjust room temperatures for comfort without needing to reach out to switches, and smart lighting systems that illuminate pathways at night that prevent falls.
- Telehealth and Remote Consultations
Elderly people can’t visit doctors every time for consultations. Hence, IoT devices, such as smart TVs and tablets, help elderly people to consult with healthcare professionals remotely.
If a patient needs a consultation, he/she can simply use telehealth applications and reach to out the doctor from the comfort of their home.
- Emergency Response Systems
The Internet of Things technology is also used in setting up emergency response systems for elder individuals. Wearable panic buttons and voice-activated alert systems are integrated with IoT platforms to enable quick access to emergency services.
In case of an emergency, elderly people can call for help using voice commands or by pressing the alert button on their wearable devices. This will alert the healthcare professionals and help will reach on time.
- Cognitive Assistance and Reminders
Aged people require someone to avoid loneliness. For this, IoT devices equipped with voice-activated assistants like Alexa and Siri can become their partners to fight loneliness and provide them entertainment for their time pass.
Moreover, these systems also remind them to take medicines, attend appointments with healthcare professionals, and complete their exercises.
- Social Connectivity Solutions
Last but not least, smart devices enabled with IoT technology can also allow elder people to social interaction and stay connected with family, friends, healthcare professionals, caregivers, and more.
These devices have features, such as video callings, instant messaging, and social media integration that help elderly people stay connected with their loved ones and fight loneliness.
Therefore, these are the top use cases of IoT technology in elderly care.
Top IoT Solutions Tailored for Eldercare
Here are some of the best applications and solutions created especially for eldercare.
- Patient Tracking Wearables
Patient tracking wearables are one of the best solutions for senior care. These wearable devices make it easy for caretakers to track patients and the activities they are involved with.
These trackers also track health vitals and alert healthcare professionals if anything abnormal happens.
- 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 caregivers.
Seniors can 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.
- Smart Lighting
One important use for IoT-enabled 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.
With the help of scheduled lighting capabilities included within the smart LED lighting, which reduces the need to manually toggle on and off lights, seniors may safely walk, or move in their homes day and night.
- 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.
Hence, these are the top IoT solutions designed for taking care of senior people.
Why Choose Quytech to Build a Custom Elder Care 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.
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 business.
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.