Integration of Smart Home Technologies in a Health Monitoring System for the Elderly

TLDR

Older adults face mobility and cognitive challenges that often force them into costly institutional care. The study proposes a home‑based automated system to unobtrusively monitor health and wellbeing, enabling independent living and reducing costs. The system combines integrated sensors with a data‑processing and communication framework, and evaluates occupant acceptability.

Abstract

Among older adults, the challenges of maintaining mobility and cognitive function make it increasingly difficult to remain living alone independently. As a result, many older adults are forced to seek residence in costly clinical institutions where they can receive constant medical supervision. A home-based automated system that monitors their health and well- being while remaining unobtrusive would provide them with a more comfortable and independent lifestyle, as well as more affordable care. This paper presents a smart home system for the elderly, developed by the Technology Assisted Friendly Environment for the Third Age (TAFETA) group. It introduces the sensor technologies integrated in the system and develops a framework for the processing and communication of the extracted information. It also considers the acceptability and implications of this technology from the perspective of the potential occupants.