Changing the Face of Aging
The Village of Bedford Walk is proud to highlight the work of one of our esteemed Steering Committee members, Dr. Marilyn Rantz.
Dr. Rantz has been an integral part of a research program, in conjunction with the Sinclair Home Care, a service through Sinclair Home Care of the MU Sinclair School of Nursing. They have developed technology to help older adults to age in place safely. This special sensor technology is now being introduced to private homes to individuals in the Columbia area who have a high-speed internet connection.
With this network of sensors, now commercialized by Foresite Healthcare and marketed by Keystone Technologies, there is nothing for people to wear and no need to push buttons. Motion sensors are placed in areas where falls are the most likely to occur. In addition, a bed sensor fits beneath the mattress and is undetectable. The sensors continue to monitor vital signs and activity and when paired with the artificial intelligence system, begin to learn the patterns and behaviors of the individual. Moreover, the Keystone system notifies the care provider to look for signs of negative health events. These may include urinary tract infections, stroke, or heart disease. Family members gain peace of mind, due to the 24 hour health monitoring and older adults may continue to live independently.
“The in-home monitoring system helps protect older adults’ independence and safety. The system works automatically and quietly, no alarms or buttons to push. People get much needed warning through automatic fall detection, alerts when risk of falls or changes in health status are becoming a problem. With personalized RN care coordination included in the service, most problems can be detected early so steps can be taken to prevent and treat while problems are small, before larger health problems occur.”
Modern technology has the potential to dramatically improve the health of the public. Maximizing independence and controlling health care costs are what makes a system like this unique and revolutionary. The potential to detect illness before the onset could increase life expectancy and certainly aid in the quality of life. Dr. Rantz, to you and your team, we say BRAVO!
For more information view this short video featuring Dr. Rantz.
