A smart home and wearable sensor platform, co-designed with older adults to maximise their long-term health and independence.
We are living longer now than we ever have done. The average person in the United Kingdom is now living until 81, already 10 years more than they were in 1970 (1). Despite this increase in lifespan, the average person has never spent so many years in poor health. In the UK, the average person spends 12 years of their life in poor health - almost 2 years longer than in 1990 (2).
Clearly, there is a need for healthcare solutions that support older adults with living well and independently for longer, and which enable early detection of risks before they threaten long-term health.
This project aims to prevent physical and cognitive decline, thereby increasing healthy lifespan and maintaining independence.
Signs of physical decline can include loss of muscle mass, slower walking speed, and fatigue. However, we can prevent this and enable people to age healthily with appropriate interventions such as exercise, improved sleep, and increased social connection, especially if addressed early.
We are developing a platform and programme that older adults can use to monitor their own health at home and which will encourage them to adopt healthy behaviours. This consists of a selection of sensors, worn by people and placed around their home, and an accompanying user interface that will provide personalised feedback about their progress.
We expect this system to support people to proactively manage their own health and independence, thereby improving health outcomes including frailty risk, quality of life and mental wellbeing. Furthermore, it could enable early detection of any deterioration through analysis of sensor data.
Healthy Habits