GeoFencing on a GPS phone with Alert Escalation
personal tracking device can utilize location information to potentially provide a safer tracked environment allowing vulnerable people to continue with their daily activities, as much as possible. This paper presents the options for alert escalation. The aim is to provide a safety net, without triggering unnecessary alarms. The escalation procedure involves initial speech alert to the user, then a speech and vibrate alert to the user as a reminder; this is followed by a text message to an identified carer if the user has not re-entered the designated safe zone. Parameters for alert escalation can be tuned to individual circumstances. The user can seek help by getting directions from the current position to home or by calling a carer. We report on a small user evaluation, an essential pre-requisite to testing with the intended cohort.
The 21st century has brought an era of global population ageing. This will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of older people with dementia, with escalating costs for long term care. In 2010 it was estimated that worldwide cost of dementia care was US$604 billion. Due to problems with memory and orientation, older people and people with early stage dementia can easily get disorientated when away from their home. The increasing availability of electronic tracking devices can utilize location information to provide a safer tracked environment allowing users to continue with their daily activities, as much as possible, and providing some reassurance to their carers. Of course, ‘the people versus technology’ debate continues. This paper investigates the technology options for ‘geo-fencing’ with alert escalation. The aim is to provide a ‘safety net’, without triggering unnecessary alarms. It does not address user acceptance or usability with the intended cohort, but is a necessary pre-requisite technical validation.
tracking devices for people have become progressively more important in healthcare and are becoming a method of encouraging better communication between a vulnerable person and their carer. We are becoming more aware of the desires of the older population to remain in their own living environment, and for example if they have been diagnosed with early stage dementia. Dementia is the decline of cognitive functioning such as the ability to think, remember and reason; it adversely affects a person’s daily life and quickly excludes them from society. With advances in medicine and technology the proportion of elderly people along with life expectancy is increasing; thus the number of people with dementia is predicted to almost double every twenty years. Management of dementia increases the burden on the carer. Carers need to assist with activities of daily living whilst promoting some independence. Being a carer may also have a negative impact on health, employment and financial security. About one third of family carers showed signs of depression, while half reported effects caused by caring to be their major health problem.
One of the most demanding behaviours to cope with is that of wandering. Wandering occurs because many dementia sufferers have hypertension and feel an urge to walk; roughly 40% get lost. Using mobile phone technology, it is technically possible to provide a safer environment for the person and to assist their carers by contacting them if the person gets lost. By helping caregivers to form a better understanding of when, where and how to intervene, GPS could extend the time that a vulnerable person can perform unsupervised outdoor activities.
The 21st century has brought an era of global population ageing. This will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of older people with dementia, with escalating costs for long term care. In 2010 it was estimated that worldwide cost of dementia care was US$604 billion. Due to problems with memory and orientation, older people and people with early stage dementia can easily get disorientated when away from their home. The increasing availability of electronic tracking devices can utilize location information to provide a safer tracked environment allowing users to continue with their daily activities, as much as possible, and providing some reassurance to their carers. Of course, ‘the people versus technology’ debate continues. This paper investigates the technology options for ‘geo-fencing’ with alert escalation. The aim is to provide a ‘safety net’, without triggering unnecessary alarms. It does not address user acceptance or usability with the intended cohort, but is a necessary pre-requisite technical validation.
tracking devices for people have become progressively more important in healthcare and are becoming a method of encouraging better communication between a vulnerable person and their carer. We are becoming more aware of the desires of the older population to remain in their own living environment, and for example if they have been diagnosed with early stage dementia. Dementia is the decline of cognitive functioning such as the ability to think, remember and reason; it adversely affects a person’s daily life and quickly excludes them from society. With advances in medicine and technology the proportion of elderly people along with life expectancy is increasing; thus the number of people with dementia is predicted to almost double every twenty years. Management of dementia increases the burden on the carer. Carers need to assist with activities of daily living whilst promoting some independence. Being a carer may also have a negative impact on health, employment and financial security. About one third of family carers showed signs of depression, while half reported effects caused by caring to be their major health problem.
One of the most demanding behaviours to cope with is that of wandering. Wandering occurs because many dementia sufferers have hypertension and feel an urge to walk; roughly 40% get lost. Using mobile phone technology, it is technically possible to provide a safer environment for the person and to assist their carers by contacting them if the person gets lost. By helping caregivers to form a better understanding of when, where and how to intervene, GPS could extend the time that a vulnerable person can perform unsupervised outdoor activities.
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