Safeguarding Seniors: How Proactive Measures in the Bathroom Can Prevent Emergencies

Did you know that the bathroom is one of the most high-risk areas for falls, especially among seniors? Startling statistics from the CDC¹ reveal that over 200,000 seniors end up in emergency rooms each year due to bathroom-related injuries, and a staggering 80 percent of falls among older adults occur right in the bathroom.²

Experts highlight several reasons why bathrooms are risky, including their wet (slippery!) and hard surfaces, the rush to reach the bathroom, and environmental factors such as bathmats (trip hazards!), which further elevate the risk of severe fall-related injuries.³

Moreover, seniors' physical conditions such as an unsteady gait, and weaker muscles and bones, coupled with medications affecting their body responses, increase the likelihood of accidents in this area.

However, should an accident happen, prompt assistance can help avoid a nighttime fall turning into an emergency and, in any event, mitigate the risk of discomfort from laying on the floor for an extended period of time. Just imagine how unpleasant it must be for anyone to slip in the shower and lay on the ground helpless for many hours!

StackCare stands as a valuable tool to promptly detect potential bathroom falls using discreet infrared motion sensors, without using any invasive cameras or microphones. This innovative system triggers an alert for prolonged bathroom stays or lack of activity, offering customizable settings for individual routines. Additionally, StackCare features a Help Button for immediate alerts to families and caregivers, providing timely aid without always necessitating a 911 call.

Our actionable guide incorporates the installation of StackCare as a key strategy to ensure the safety of your loved ones. Other measures include:

• Installation of grab bars for essential support near toilets, showers, and bathtubs
• Use of non-slip surfaces or adhesive strips to prevent accidents in wet areas
• Accessible storage solutions to prevent excessive bending or stretching
• Adequate lighting and nightlights for visibility
• Consideration of raised toilet seats for ease and reduced strain on joints
• Regular maintenance, including slip-resistant flooring and assistive devices like shower chairs

These measures, coupled with open discussions about bathroom safety with elderly family members can substantially minimize fall risks, ensuring a secure environment for our seniors and loved ones.

Let's prioritize spreading awareness and advocating for bathroom safety together! 🚿🛁✨

#BathroomSafety #FallPrevention #SeniorHealth #SafetyMatters

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References:
¹CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/older-adult-falls/index.html
²PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21659980/
³PMC: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3591732/

A Game-Changer for Seniors Aging in Place

As our loved ones age, the desire to stay in their own homes, surrounded by familiar environments and cherished memories, becomes increasingly important. Aging in place is a choice that many seniors make, it’s natural to want to remain in your home with a sense of independence (that may be real or perceived), but for families it often comes with concerns about their loved one’s safety, health, and well-being. In recent years, technology has introduced a revolutionary solution for seniors - passive monitoring. This innovative approach is changing the game, offering both seniors the ability to continue living independently and their families peace of mind. In this blog, we'll explore why passive monitoring is such a great solution for seniors aging in place.

1. Why “Passive”?
Passive monitoring systems operate behind the scenes, without imposing on a senior's daily life. There is nothing the senior needs to do except carry on living their life and continuing with their preferred routines. These systems use a network of sensors to monitor various aspects of the senior's living environment, such as movement, temperature, and door openings. If any atypical irregularities arise, the system can calculate in fractions of a second whether there is a potential issue and alert caregivers or family members discreetly, allowing for early intervention.

2. Fall Detection
Falls are a major concern for seniors, as they can lead to serious injuries. Passive monitoring can detect potential falls especially by considering lack of motion and notify caregivers or family members accordingly. This rapid response can be a life-saving feature, ensuring that help arrives promptly.

3. Enhanced Security
Passive monitoring extends beyond health-related concerns. StackCare for example also offers a security feature whereby the system detects intruders when there is nobody home, sending out alerts to the app users. This security feature not only provides seniors with peace of mind when they’re away, but supports seniors acceptance of technology in the home.

4. Environmental Monitoring
The system can monitor environmental factors like temperature and humidity levels. It can detect extreme temperatures, helping seniors avoid health risks associated with extreme heat or cold. This is especially crucial for seniors with respiratory conditions and those experiencing cognitive decline who may get confused.

5. Independence and Privacy
Passive monitoring promotes independence by allowing seniors to live in their homes without feeling constantly watched or burdened by intrusive technology. This privacy is a significant advantage compared to more intrusive forms of monitoring, such as constant video surveillance.

6. Peace of Mind for Families
For family members and caregivers, passive monitoring provides real-time insights into a senior's well-being and living conditions, even from a distance. This invaluable peace of mind means they can maintain a watchful eye over their loved ones without being physically present.

7. Cost-Effective Solution
Compared to the expenses of assisted living facilities or full-time caregivers, passive monitoring is a cost-effective solution. It allows seniors to age in place comfortably and safely without incurring substantial additional costs.

Passive monitoring is a revolutionary and non-invasive solution that is transforming the way seniors age in place. With its ability to provide unobtrusive safety, fall detection, security features, environmental monitoring and more, it offers a holistic approach to aging in place. By maintaining independence, privacy, and peace of mind for both seniors and their families, passive monitoring has quickly become a game-changer in senior care. It's a solution that not only empowers seniors to live on their terms but also reassures their loved ones that they can do so safely and securely.

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Thanks to its reliability, simplicity, and affordability, StackCare is one of the most popular passive monitoring solutions on the market. Self-installation is easy; the sensors are small and discreet, and simply attach to walls with command strips. StackCare provides the hardware, so no upfront investment is required, just a monthly subscription fee and no-long term commitment.

Foe more information contact info@stack.care

The Advantages of Passive Monitoring Over Wearable Technology in Senior Care

Mom's idea of technology is listening to her favorite radio station…

As wearable technology becomes increasingly prevalent, advertisements promoting FitBits and Apple Watches captivate the attention of younger consumers. These devices promise convenience in tracking health and wellness metrics. However, for seniors who face heightened health risks, a fitness wristband is far from an ideal solution.

"I've fallen and I can't get up!" – the iconic LifeAlert catchphrase still resonates with many. LifeAlert was revolutionary in its time, offering a lifeline to seniors in emergencies with the press of a button. Surprisingly, despite significant technological advances in recent years, seniors and their families continue to rely on this now antiquated technology. Never mind that statistically only about 1-in-7 owners actually wear their pendant daily; and most falls occur at night, so who puts on their pendant before heading to the bathroom at 1.00am?

Apropos falls occurring at night, even in the unlikely event Mom agrees to a baby cam or webcam in her bedroom (and I for one would prefer to retain a little dignity in my senior years), who’s going to stay up watching mom all night?

In a world dominated by cutting-edge innovations such as holograms and motion-activated thermostats, using dated technology for senior care appears almost naive. Passive remote monitoring, a technology employing non-invasive sensors combined with data science, emerges as a superior alternative. It requires no wearables and even surpasses the capabilities of modern fitness trackers. Passive monitoring effectively tracks motion (and lack of motion!), sleep hours, bathroom activity, kitchen activity and more, offering both indication of health and wellness decline and potential fall alerts without requiring seniors to wear or activate any device.

Here are three compelling reasons why passive monitoring outshines wearable technology in senior care both at home and in retirement communities:

Non-Invasiveness of Passive Monitoring

Wearing a conspicuous alert button around one's neck daily not only carries aesthetic drawbacks but also serves as a constant reminder of limited abilities. Such devices can be clunky, burdensome, and uncomfortable for seniors so no surprise that we’ve even heard the pendants called “death jewelry” - Seniors retain their sense of humor, however dark. In contrast, passive monitoring utilizes discreet wall-mounted devices, adhering to the "set it and forget it" principle that defines successful cutting-edge technology. It empowers seniors to relish their quality of life without fostering a perceived dependence on caregivers.

The Reliability Advantage of Passive Monitoring

Remembering to grab your house keys before leaving home is a challenge in itself, let alone ensuring the consistent wear of unfamiliar technology. In life-threatening situations, it is crucial for the device to be reliable, rather than a wristband or necklace that can easily slip off, break upon falling, or become damaged in the shower. Furthermore, if a person is rendered unconscious or injured due to a fall or health event, wearable technology becomes ineffectual. Passive monitoring, conversely, utilizes technology integrated within a senior's home, eliminating the need for seniors to keep track of a device that could be easily lost or forgotten.

Proactive vs. Reactive: The Passive Monitoring Advantage

Wearable alert systems primarily operate reactively, responding to events after they occur. In contrast, passive monitoring takes a dual approach by not only notifying caregivers after an incident but also proactively highlighting deteriorating patterns to prevent such incidents from happening in the first place. By continuously monitoring indicators such as bathroom usage, sleep hours, activity patterns and kitchen usage, passive monitoring can detect changes that indicate an impending emergency. Timely medical intervention not only leads to better outcomes but can even potentially avert major health crises.

In conclusion, while wearable technology undoubtedly still holds a place in the tech world, seniors benefit immensely from the efficiency and reliability of passive monitoring. By eliminating the need for wearables, this technology proves itself as a far more effective solution for senior care, helping to safeguard the well-being of older adults.

Passive Monitoring to Catch Early Stage Health Issues in Older Adults by John Patton, MS Applied Gerontology

The older we get, the more likely we are to have health problems, especially ones that are related to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart conditions. The National Council on Aging suggests that eighty percent of adults 65 and older have at least one chronic condition, while 68% have two or more (NCOA.org, 2021). One of the most important things to do as an older adult is to stay on top of issues to avoid painful problems down the road. Fortunately, there are certain technologies available that can help identify small issues before they become big ones – all without having to go to the doctor’s office or to the local hospital every time you feel ill! Read on to learn more about passive monitoring and how it can help you and your loved one or your client.

Many older adults do not go to the doctor and get properly diagnosed. There are many reasons for this, including fear and the lack of comfort from trained medical professionals that understand older adults’ needs. The Association of American Medical Colleges cites that “An aging population requires more complex care and thus greater reliance on specialized care,” (AAMC, 2021). Even with a diagnosed chronic condition, older adults can get sick very quickly as they may not be used to being ill. As such, early diagnosis is very important. One of the best ways for older adults to catch early signs of illness is through passive monitoring. The data captured from passive monitoring serves as a basis for what is deemed normal ADLs (activities of daily living) for that particular person and provides alerts for possible health concerns should these patterns change. StackCare’s passive monitoring system was designed to recognize daily habits and detect any changes that might indicate health issues.

Silent health issues can also occur as we age. and being ‘silent’ these problems may not be as visible as other health conditions, but they can lead to severe issues if not diagnosed promptly and treated properly. Common silent health problems include memory loss, sleep disorders, depression, and vision loss. StackCare’s passive monitoring can assist family members and caregivers with alerts that the ADLs of an older adult have changed and a medical check-up may be necessary.

So how does passive monitoring help with identifying possible changes in a person’s health? Passive monitoring is a term used to describe the use of data and analyzing of that data in real-time to identify any number of conditions and is used to help detect early-stage problems and health concerns. One key advantage passive monitoring has over active testing is that it can save patients, caregivers, and family members time and money by reducing repeated trips or multiple follow-up appointments at the doctor. Another advantage is that when there are no visible symptoms, it can be difficult for older adults and caregivers to know when there is an issue worth addressing. With StackCare’s passive monitoring, alerts are triggered to suggest that there may be an underlying concern and warrants further attention.

Successful aging in place can come with challenges. Everyone (not just caregivers) benefits from knowing about passive monitoring systems and how they can complement the care of an older adult. Because older adults living at home for an extended period are prone to accidents and health issues, it’s important for them (and their loved ones) to know about passive monitoring solutions and how data can support a care network. Without monitoring technology, it is very difficult (if not impossible) for caregivers or relatives to be notified of serious issues or changes in ADLs or even a possible fall —all in real-time. Without proper care there is a greater likelihood that these conditions may go undetected until too late, which can possibly cause irreparable damage. StackCare brings state-of-the-art technology to families and caregivers around the world and provides peace of mind through non-invasive monitoring and artificial intelligence.

If you wish to find out more about StackCare’s sophisticated passive monitoring system, please go to our website www.stack.care or contact us at info@stack.care.

https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults

https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/aging-patients-and-doctors-drive-nation-s-physician-shortage

Elaine's Story - A Senior's Perspective

Elaine… An impressive 83 years old!

I lost my husband seven years ago which was a massive blow after 49 years of marriage. We all dread losing our partner and there’s always the worry about how you will manage on your own. After Derek passed I moved homes twice, downsizing, before settling on the cozy apartment I live in now.

I’ve recently turned 83 but I feel lucky that I am relatively healthy, though I do suffer a bit from arthritis. I like to stay active and prior to COVID-19 I was out and about most days, keeping myself busy, enjoying my independence and settling into my new home. My son Rod and I are very close and we speak most days - he lives more than an hour away and it’s good to catch up with him and hear his news.

He always wants to hear how I’m getting on and to know that I’m safe and well – I know he frets about me! When I moved into my new apartment, which is on the first floor of the building, we had a stair-lift fitted as well as an emergency call button system that operates via my telephone. Knowing I have them is really reassuring but when we heard about StackCare we were interested to know if it could offer us something else that would give us even more peace of mind. The key for us was seeing that StackCare would send Rod daily updates on how I’ve been getting along. We loved this feature in particular so we decided to give StackCare a go.

We were both surprised at how easy the installation of the StackCare system was – and how discreet it is in my apartment. I barely notice it’s there and I certainly don’t feel like I’m being spied on! It’s amazing – 100% marvelous – and I am so pleased we have it. For me, alongside my call button, I feel that StackCare is part of my safety ‘package’ – like with ill health when you blend different medicines to make you feel better, this is part of my day-to-day multi-pronged approach to staying safe and living my independent life.

I feel really reassured that Rod doesn’t have to worry – he’s a busy, successful businessman (I’m a very proud Mom!) and I know he’s busy, so the less he worries about me the better. We both know that he will be alerted if something is wrong so he can rest easy if he doesn’t hear anything. We laugh that StackCare has also given us a new topic of conversation on our calls! We like talking about what StackCare has been reporting and how I’ve been – I don’t have to try and remember everything to tell him.

I love my new apartment and I love having StackCare help look after me – it’s reassuring for me and I know it’s really reassuring for Rod. And if my son is happy then so am I!

Elaine kindly gave StackCare permission to reproduce her story. As we publish this, she is doing great and enjoying life and her continuing independence.

Grandma Dorothy

We recently heard from one of our customers the story of how his grandmother felt dizzy one night and, doing the absolute right thing, she leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor avoiding any injury. Dorothy wouldn't call her grandson in the middle of the night but, extraordinarily, she was also in a room away from the StackCare sensors. Fortunately Dorothy was fine and all was well but her story set us thinking...

What if we created a 'Night Activity Monitor' to let Dorothy's family know she hadn't made it to bed that night? StackCare data scientists and engineers got to work and we're delighted to announce that our new software release contains the 'Night Activity Monitor' which will send a notification when your senior loved one is absent from the bedroom for too long during the night. StackCare will send the notification regardless of whether someone doesn't make it to bed, or if they get up but don't come back. We'll shortly be releasing another enhancement which will allow you, the family member or caregiver, to customize the time limits.

For Dorothy and her grandson, StackCare just got even better. As with all our improvements and new software features, we update everyone's system automatically and at no extra cost; we'll be rolling out this feature over the next 2 weeks.

Nathalie de Vazeille
Sales & Marketing Manager - StackCare

Above & Beyond

One question that we’re often asked relates to privacy and access to information; sounds like the perfect subject for a blog post…

Let's start with HIPAA - The CDC states that “The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (also known as ‘HIPAA’) is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge.”

OK, that’s the official wording but what does it really mean? In simple terms, nobody should ever share your health information without permission.

StackCare tracks motion data and looks for changes or unusual patterns that could indicate a problem; if or when the system does sense an issue we send an alert notification securely to your family member or caregiver. So, we don’t have any access to health information but we still take our responsibilities seriously.

We use a variety of encryption techniques, starting with a random 28-30 digit code to identify any specific location. That makes it realy, really difficult to break into. Then, motion data is stored as 1’s land 0’s so that even if someone were to hack our database all they would see is lots and lots of unidentifiable and useless information. The real magic of StackCare is the separate data science algorithms that constantly scan the data; they’re really the key to understanding motion and without them everything stays beautifully hidden.

With StackCare there's no cameras and no microphones, our philosophy is that seniors are entitled to their privacy and dignity so our technology uses simple infra-red sensors; that's the same thing that opens the supermarket door when it senses you approaching.

So we don't know, or care, if your senior loved one wears pajamas in the middle of the day and it's his personal business who his friend is! 🧸

Next, a note on bathroom visits: StackCare includes a bathroom sensor because it’s statistically a prime area for falls and there’s lots of hard surfaces in there. However, as the system is tracking motion/occupancy it has no idea whether the resident is brushing their hair or using the toilet; it does filter out brief visits (such as grabbing a tissue and leaving again) but over the first couple of days the system learns what is typical for that individual person or couple. Notifications are looking for changes in patterns or unusual events such as being in the bathroom for too long in the middle of the night, which could be an illness or a fall! Senior loved ones don’t need to worry, we’re not ’watching’ what they do in there.

So, in strict legal terms StackCare doesn’t fall under HIPAA regulations, but we’re always proud to say that we’re HIPAA-compliant; we meet all the requirements and guidelines because we want to, not because we need to.

We treat your senior loved ones’ information as if they were our own parent or grandparent, and in some cases they actually are… Hi Mom! 👋❤️

Nigel Mould, CEO - StackCare

P.S. To answer a bunch more questions that Mom/Dad might have just click here!

New Features - All Included!

Back in May we wrote about how we always intended our product would improve even after you bought it, so today we're delighted to be keeping that promise with even more new features that we're including not only for new customers but also free to existing ones!

Statistically falls are most likely to occur at night or early in the morning and often in the bathroom, where surfaces are hard and space typically quite confined; this means it's an area where StackCare is already particularly watchful. Apart from our usual notifications, StackCare data scientists have studied motion patterns that preceded a fall and came up with 3 new alerts which we've introduced via a software update this week...

1. Nighttime Bathroom Overstay - where Stackcare will alert you with a notification sent directly to your phone when it detects that your senior loved one has been in the bathroom an unusually long time. Whether there's a fall or not, being in the bathroom for 30 minutes at 2:00am is probably not a good sign!
2. Nighttime Total Time - StackCare will send an alert when the total amount of time in the bathroom during the night exceeds a limit. There might be a number of short visits that add up or just a couple of longer ones which do not trigger a Bathroom Overstay. Even if there's no immediate issue, your senior loved one is likely not sleeping well for some reason and fall risk increases significantly when we're tired.
3. Nighttime Total Visits - regardless of the time spent in the bathroom, StackCare also already looks at the absolute number of bathroom visits; repeatedly needing to visit the bathroom could be an indicator of a developing infection or illness and certainly reflects a disturbed sleep pattern. Now there's a specific alert especially for this eventuality occurring at night.

We recommend keeping all notifications enabled but customers can choose which alerts they want at any time via the app.

For new customers, we've also improved our installation process to make it even easier. Just connect your phone to the gateway via Bluetooth and follow the instructions. Anyone can install StackCare in less than 15 minutes and no tools are required!

Finally, we're also delighted to announce the launch of StackCare for Android phones; now it doesn't matter whether you have an iPhone, Pixel, Galaxy or LG...Just search in the App Store or Google Play for "StackCare".

Thank you to all our customers! We'll have even more updates coming soon so stay tuned...

Nigel Mould, CEO - StackCare

Julia's Story - In Her Own Words

When my mom passed away a few years ago my dad was left living on his own in our old family home in about 200 miles from us.  He agreed with me and my husband that it would be good to have him closer to us so we moved him down to our village in a house 10 minutes from ours.  It was great for me to know I could keep a closer eye on him and make sure he was ok - and good for dad as he could see us and his grandchildren more often.

I could see that he was becoming more frail but he has always been a very independent man and he didn’t feel ready for any sort of care. I was left wondering what I could do to ensure that he really was ok when he was on his own. A friend mentioned StackCare and it sounded like a great solution!

Installing StackCare in my dad’s home was dead simple, as was setting up the app on my phone.  The sensors in his home are small and unobtrusive.  It quickly got to know dad’s normal behaviors – his times for going to bed, getting up and visiting the bathroom for example. If he deviates from these norms it tells me and we can check to see if there’s a problem.

StackCare really came into its own after dad had a nasty bladder infection.  After a brief hospital stay he came home and had to use a catheter for a short while, but the medication he was also on made him confused. I could see on the StackCare app that dad had had a terribly restless first night home and, as the app knows what is normal behavior for my dad, it sent me an alert to say he had been visiting the bathroom much more than usual. This was more than enough for me to check-in, and to my horror in his state of confusion he’d damaged the catheter and so I got him back to the hospital straight away. Without StackCare we wouldn’t have known exactly what had gone on, and maybe not even known at all for some time either. The information StackCare gave us was really valuable in knowing what had actually gone on during that night.

I love the reassurance that StackCare gives me.  It’s incredibly clever and it does all the work for you. Dad loves having it in the house too as he knows that we can keep an eye on him, but from a distance, so he keeps his independence whilst feeling secure. He likes that there are no cameras involved, so he doesn’t feel like he’s being spied on! 

StackCare is a great solution for us, it allows my dad to stay independent in his own home for that much longer and gives us another level of reassurance that he really is ok.

Julie (we changed her name for privacy reasons) kindly gave StackCare permission to reproduce her story. As we publish this, her Dad is doing great and enjoying his continuing independence.

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Tech Trends - How seniors view things...

AARP: “Three in four older Americans want to stay in their homes and age in place, and technology that allows them to get help in an emergency or track their health virtually can be critical to helping them achieve that goal.”

An AARP survey “2020 TECH AND THE 50+” which came out in December 2019 offers some interesting insights into older adults’ increased usage and acceptance of technology and confirms a growing trend.

Adults aged 50 and older adopt and use smart technology on a daily basis at the same rate as consumers aged 18-49. (p.5). They are increasingly interested in Smart Home Safety Technology which provides convenience, safety and peace of mind. Consequently, in the last 2 years, the adoption of Smart Home Technology by older adults has more than doubled from 7% to 19%. (p.32)

Of particular interest for StackCare @home is the older adults’ high level of interest in purchasing systems that will monitor their wellbeing. 42% are interested in purchasing “A system that lets a family member know if you are okay, or if your daily routine changes suggesting you might need help”. In addition, 39% of older adults are interested in purchasing “Sensors placed throughout your home to detect if someone falls and if so, calls for emergency help”. (p.35)

StackCare @home fulfills these requirements: motion sensor technology and data science algorithms constantly search for anomalies and occurrences or events and when something is spotted (this is where Artificial Intelligence “understands” that there may be a problem) the notification platform issues a notification back to the family or the caregiver.

The current pandemic is likely to lead to a further increase in these percentages as more and more people will want to continue living in their own home as they get older. Seniors themselves (not just their families and caregivers) want the reassurance to know that someone will be notified and come to help them if they have a problem without them having to actively make a call or push a button.

In conclusion, we can see a growing interest in home monitoring systems which facilitate aging in place safely. A discrete motion sensor system is a great solution to maintain the seniors’ independence and give peace of mind to their families.

Nathalie de Vazeille
Sales & Marketing Manager - StackCare

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Citations from: Nelson Kakulla. Brittne. 2020 Tech Trends of the 50+. Washington, DC: AARP Research, January 2020. https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/technology/info-2019/2020-technology-trends-older-americans.html

https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/surveys_statistics/technology/2019/2020-tech-trends-survey.doi.10.26419-2Fres.00329.001.pdf