Abstract:
As people age, they want to remain as active and independent as possible for as long as possible. They want to age at home, not in institutions like nursing homes (Marek & Rantz, 2000). According to a 2010 AARP survey, 88 percent of people over age 65 want to stay in their residence for as long as possible (AARP, 2010). Technology has the potential to help people remain at home by monitoring their health status, detecting emergency situations such as debilitating falls, and notifying health care providers to potential changes in health status or emergency situations. Researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) are using sensor technology at TigerPlace (a senior housing complex that enables residents to Age in Place) to detect changes in health status of the residents, alert health care providers, and augment traditional healthcare. This article reviews the Aging in Place research, TigerPlace as a state sponsored Aging in Place site, and the sensor technology developed by MU to support Aging in Place.
