The mobile phone as a platform for assisting the independent living ...

Chapter 2Smart Homes2.1 Smart Homes for elderlyThe proportion of the world’s population of individuals over the age of 60 is expected todouble by 2030 to twenty percent [12] [13] . This is the demographic trend for the nextdecades. The rapid growth of the elderly population and increase in life expectancy haveled to new models of positive ageing where older adults are being empowered to leadfulfilling lives and adapt to degenerative changes to maintain functionality, autonomy andquality of life.As older adults are living longer and more fulfilled lives, they desire to live asindependently as possible. But independent lifestyles come with risks and challenges.Mobility and cognitive impairments among the elderly lead to functional decline.Interventions to improve function include both evidence-based nursing approaches andinnovative technologies. Crucial to successful intervention is early identification ofchanging conditions that are precursors of impairments so that interventions can beoffered at the earliest indications of need. Customized monitoring can enable the earlydetection of deteriorating health conditions, such as a shuffling gait, restless sleep, rapidchange in activity level, or an unusual change in one’s typical routine. To address theseissues, researchers are developing "smart home" technologies to enhance residents' safetyand monitor health conditions using sensors and other devices.The terms smart homes, intelligent homes, home networking have been used for morethan a decade to introduce the concept of networking devices and equipment in thehouse. According to the Smart Homes Association [47] [48] [49] the best definition ofsmart home technology is: the integration of technology and services through homenetworking for a better quality of living [3] .4