Lecture on Elderly Care and Healthcare Innovation

Introduction

• Intel has conducted research in 600 elderly households over 10 years (300 in Ireland, 300 in Portland)
• Focus on measuring and monitoring behavior in a medically meaningful way

Phone as a Tool for Elderly Care

• Phones aid in medication management
  • Seniors use phones to receive medication reminders via system "whispers"
  • Avoids embarrassment of visible medication aids
• Phones as cognitive tests
  • Analyzing phone-answering patterns for signs of cognitive decline
  • Behavioral markers for early detection of dementia and Parkinson's

Behavioral Markers

• Importance: Indicate early onset of diseases like dementia and Parkinson's
• Examples:
  • Time taken to answer the phone
  • Changes in voice volume
  • Tremors and dexterity issues
  • Social interaction levels

Intel's Research and Findings

• 1,000 elderly households studied in 20 countries over 10 years
• Focus on holistic health experiences
• Importance of understanding demographic changes (Y2K + 10 problem)

Challenges in Current Healthcare System

• Mainframe Healthcare Mentality:
  • Reliance on large, centralized healthcare systems
  • Need to shift to a personal healthcare model
• Current system is reactive and crisis-driven
  • Need for proactive, prevention-driven healthcare
  • Collecting comprehensive health data from the home

Personal Healthcare Model

• Shift care to the home
  • Focus on proactive care and 24/7 data collection
  • Use behavioral, psychological, and relational data
• Examples of current projects:
  • Shimmer Technology: Captures motion data to predict fall risks
  • Magic Carpet: Monitors postural sway

Call to Action

• 10,000 Households or Bust: Call for a large-scale study of independent living technologies
• Healthcare Reform:
  • Move 50% of care to the home within 10 years
  • Focus on using disruptive technologies

Conclusion

• Need for a personal health movement and innovative health reform
• Appeal for the conference to drive this movement forward