scholarly journals Tiresias: A low-cost networked UWB radar system for in-home monitoring of dementia patients

Author(s):  
Alan Bannon ◽  
Adrien Rapeaux ◽  
Timothy Constandinou

This paper describes Tiresias, a low-cost, unobtrusive networked radar system designed to monitor vulnerable patients in domestic environments and provide high quality behavioural and health data. Dementia is a disease that affects millions worldwide and progressively degrades an individual's ability to care for themselves. Eventually most people living with dementia will need to reside in assisted living facilities as they become unable to care for themselves. Understanding the effects dementia has on ability to self-care and extending the length of time people living with dementia can remain living independently are key goals of dementia research and care. The networked radar system proposed in this paper is designed to provide high quality behavioural and health data from domestic environments. This is achieved using multiple radar sensors networked together with their data outputs integrated and processed to produce high confidence measures of position and movement. It is hoped the data produced by this system will both provide insights into how dementia progresses, and also help monitor vulnerable individuals in their own homes, allowing them to remain independent longer than would otherwise be possible.<br>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Bannon ◽  
Adrien Rapeaux ◽  
Timothy Constandinou

This paper describes Tiresias, a low-cost, unobtrusive networked radar system designed to monitor vulnerable patients in domestic environments and provide high quality behavioural and health data. Dementia is a disease that affects millions worldwide and progressively degrades an individual's ability to care for themselves. Eventually most people living with dementia will need to reside in assisted living facilities as they become unable to care for themselves. Understanding the effects dementia has on ability to self-care and extending the length of time people living with dementia can remain living independently are key goals of dementia research and care. The networked radar system proposed in this paper is designed to provide high quality behavioural and health data from domestic environments. This is achieved using multiple radar sensors networked together with their data outputs integrated and processed to produce high confidence measures of position and movement. It is hoped the data produced by this system will both provide insights into how dementia progresses, and also help monitor vulnerable individuals in their own homes, allowing them to remain independent longer than would otherwise be possible.<br>


Author(s):  
David Wendell Moller

Inattentive care and lack of compassion exacerbated the Whites’ suffering, leading to unconscionable indignity for both in the nursing home. Ken and Virble White were a part of the ongoing fabric of our society, that portion which includes the working poor. We know that individuals like them are subject to worse health outcomes. They possess inadequate resources to make the health system work in their favor or even on balance with the rest of the population. Their medical decision-making takes place in a context of inadequate patient–physician communication, low health literacy, lack of access to social services, and other factors that undermine optimal care. These factors are present in different ways throughout the life experience of disempowered patients every day in clinics, hospitals, and assisted-living facilities throughout the nation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 935-935
Author(s):  
Kim Attanasi ◽  
Victoria Raveis

Abstract [Objective] Almost 8% of the U.S. population, 65 and older, reside in long term care facilities with limited delivery of essential dental care to prevent and manage oral health disease. By 2050, this population is expected to increase by 1.6 billion. Multiple bi-directional connections exist between oral disease and overall health. [Methods] Faculty from the Dental Hygiene Department, New York University College of Dentistry conducted an extensive outreach effort and randomly selected assisted living facilities. Facilities were offered the opportunity to receive at no-cost, a dental hygiene-led, educational, preventive oral health program delivered virtually to their residents as a community service. Incentives discussed. [Results] Twenty-one facilities were contacted, 17 (94.4%) had no oral healthcare program; one had an oral health component. In 13 (72%), the concierge functioned as gatekeeper, unwilling to transfer calls or deliver messages. In five (28%), calls were directed to the activity coordinator. Feasibility concerns and uncertainty about oral health service necessity and resident safety were voiced. Two facilities mentioned familiarity with dental hygiene professionals. Strategic changes in outreach resulted in successfully engaging with facility administrators. Strategies included identifying directors with familiarity or experience with dental hygiene profession, establishing a portfolio and utilizing technology that facilitate incorporating COVID-19 protocols. [Conclusions] Efforts to initiate a dental hygiene-led virtual oral health program encountered gatekeeper challenges. Although facility activity coordinators acknowledged benefits for their population, they were not final decision-makers. It was necessary to implement strategies that facilitated discussing the virtual oral hygiene program directly with the facility’s executive leadership.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document