GPS tracking for elder care
gerotechnology 1 Comment »It is glad to see PolyU has taken up this project and try to seek for technology companies to support the GPS tracking for elder care. Just read a news on 理大研發長者「定位」照護系統. It is a good move in our society.
由理大研發的家居及社區照護系統共有三個主要部分，其中一個是安裝在長者家中的活動感應系統，是由該校醫療科技及資訊學系研發。負責這項目的助理教授湯啟宇指出，系統的原理是利用裝設在室內的無電感應器，能夠觀察長者在家中的活動情況，可連接到長者的服務中心。一旦發現異常，例如停留在一點太久，便可即時聯絡長者查問情況或作進一步跟進。
配合該監測系統，另一個裝置是可佩戴在身上的生命訊息感應器，長者只需將感應器佩戴在耳上，便可測出其心跳及體溫情況，假如發現有異常，便可透過系統通知社工報警求助。
For many times I have wrote in my term papers that there is an urge to develop more on the E-health/ telemedicine for our elderly because not only our resources are limited, the demand is huge. My response from others were usually like , “yea I agree….yadayada….but it is not feasible since HK is so small and do we really need to invest so much on that?”…… That makes me really puzzled. As gerontologists we should think outside of the box in order to get through what we are stuck at the moment. Long term care system is gonna crash if we do not start to pay more attention to how new technologies could help ease the burden.
