Emerging Technologies for Dementia Patient Monitoring

Emerging Technologies for Dementia Patient Monitoring

Tarik Qassem (The University of Warwick, UK)
Copyright: © 2018 |Pages: 45
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-2589-9.ch006

Abstract

In this chapter, the author explores the available technologies that can enhance the Quality of Life of individuals with dementia. He investigates the foundations of telemetry, different sensor technologies, Context-Aware Systems, and the use of the Internet of Thing in supporting those to live an independent life. The author reviews the use of Smart Homes in supporting individuals with dementia. He then discusses the role of social networking sites in keeping this group connected. In addition to that, the author examines the use of Global Poisoning System (GPS) technology in management of wandering behaviour and the possible use of the currently available technologies in the detection, diagnosing the cause, assessing the response to treatment, as well as prevention of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia (BPSD). This is followed by a brief discussion of the acceptability and the ethical issues that surround the use of these technologies.
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Problem Under Study

Dementia is a chronic progressive disease that affects an individual's ability to live independently. Hence, it is not surprising that it is the strongest predictor of living in institutional care (Andel, Hyer, & Slack, 2007). With no cure in the near future, the main focus for services is to keep patients in a safe environment while maintaining their freedom, ideally in their own home. Another focus is managing challenging behaviours that could happen at different stages of dementia. Though psychological and medical interventions like acetyl- cholinesterase inhibitors play a significant role in managing dementia, there is still a lack of effective solutions that enable individuals to live a fairly safe, independent and autonomous life while having a condition like dementia.

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