Remote Sensors Help Keep Track of Seniors Who Live Alone
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Thomas Northcu/Thinkstock(SAN FRANCISCO) — If you want to keep tabs on a grandma who lives alone but can’t because of distance or other circumstances, a San Francisco company called Lively has a solution.
Lively has developed sensors that can track movements in an elderly person’s home and automatically notify a family member if something is amiss.
The company says sensors can be placed on doors, counters and even pillboxes to create a comprehensive survey of activity, without burdening the individual with something to wear.
The device is equipped with built-in cellular service — no Internet access or phone line is required.
That’s good because, according to a May study by the U.S. Census Bureau, only 62 percent of Americans over the age of 65 report having a computer at home, and just 45 percent have Internet access.
Family members receive alerts by email and text.
David Glickman, chief operating officer of Lively, tells SFGate.com the simplicity of the system is key.
“The fact that the device is simple enough to just plug into an outlet without Wi-Fi needed makes sense for older Americans,” says Glickman.
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