Getting Creative with Smart Care Solutions for the Elderly & Disabled

The complexities of aging are becoming more serious and dangerous in Singapore. With one of the highest life expectancies in the world, an estimated one-third of Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above by 2035. As a result, the median age will also rise by over a decade in the course of a few years. Such shifts in the demographics place huge pressure on the society, especially when it comes to supporting and caring for this population. However, the aging population in Singapore is not the only area of concern. The relatively high percentage of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in Singapore is another aspect that requires equal levels of care and support. But how can smart home solutions transform the lives of the elderly and disabled?

Daycare, residential programmes and other forms of care providing services are available in Singapore to support the elderly and persons with disabilities. Families even turn to foreign domestic help and live-in care to provide the best levels of care for these individuals. However, leveraging such care services and turning to these solutions come with their own set of challenges. Besides financial concerns, a study done by the Singapore Management University (SMU) revealed that 3 in 4 caregivers for persons with mental health issues, including dementia, have expressed a need for temporary separation and that caring for such individuals can be tiring and exhausting. This is where smart care solutions come in. 

Capable of reducing the risks of caregiver burnout and supporting persons with disabilities, smart home solutions enable greater convenience and independence. With the rise of voice assistants, it has been demonstrated that technology can be used in interesting ways to help individuals with daily lives or as they age. A big part of the puzzle that will allow the elderly and persons with disabilities to live actively, gracefully and independently, there are a variety of other ways technology products can be used. With a little effort and creativity, well-known smart care solutions can unlock your smart home’s potential. 

1. Smart Outside the Box

With an increasing number of older people wanting to be active longer and age at home, smart home automation systems come in handy with their ability to foster meaningful connections through their simple plug-and-play approach. Without having society bend over backward to extend all the necessary help to the elderly in Singapore, technologies will undoubtedly make senior care efficient. One of the best technologies that have seen mainstream exposure and adoption is that of timely alerts. For seniors who live on their own, there are healthcare app development services that register data, analyse elderly activity, and notify their caretakers of any anomalies.

Smart care solutions like the door and window sensor can be used for purposes beyond security. When it comes to ensuring that the elderly are taking their medication promptly, this device can be installed on drawers and refrigerators as well. With the HomeAuto app downloaded on regular-day wearables like smartwatches, they will be able to set alerts that remind them to take their medication stored in these units. The data of opening and closing these medicine cabinets can then be tracked by caregivers for peace of mind. 

2. Calling for Understanding

Back in 2019, there were several posts on the Reunite Missing Children Facebook page appealing to the public and police to help find Bingjie, who had autism. Due to his frequent disappearance, an article by Mothership stated that people eventually got fatigued. Cases like these have even occurred two years prior, with the news covering the details of a 16-year-old boy with autism who was lost for a full 10 days. With incidences of children and teenagers with special needs going missing occurring frequently, locals have even proposed utilising a GPS tracker. 

While resorting to social media to help find individuals with intellectual disabilities is one way of navigating the issue at hand, smart tech can also be used for quick rectification of these stressful situations. The Smart SOS button, for example, is useful within the household unit. With one press of the button, a notification will be sent to all family members or administrators. Other sensors such as a proximity beacon tag can be attached to bags and wallets and paired with a smartphone. The beacon tag will send out a code regularly, and trigger an alert if the item is moved out of range. Real-time GPS location data can also be uploaded onto a crowdsourced database, the location of the individual or the item can be identified. 

The HomeAuto Smart Care Service Solution

At HomeAuto, our smart solutions embody 6 values – care for society, reliability, ecosystem, security and safety, customer focus, eye for the future. Our products are locally tested safe and are able to integrate with other smart assistance such as Google Assistance. Strongly believing that everyone has uniquely different needs, we have a range of the latest technology that aim to improve the lives of the elderly and disabled.

Have queries about HomeAuto and our smart home devices for the elderly and disabled? Contact us at enquiry@homeauto.com.sg, and our smart home solutions providers and assistants will offer you more information on our smart care solutions available in Singapore.