HDB completes trial of smart elderly monitoring and alert system
Mdm Mabel Chen (left), 78, has her HDB flat fitted with the Smart Elderly Monitoring & Alert System (SEMAS) that can detect potential trouble. It will then be able to send an alert to her daughter, Ms Doris Oo (right), 50, via SMS. Photo: TODAY/Robin Choo
SINGAPORE - When an elderly living alone deviates from his typical behaviour, such as spending too long in the toilet, an alert system will send an SMS to his or her caregiver.
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) recently completed a trial of such a Smart Elderly Monitoring and Alert System (SEMAS) in 12 rental flats in Woodlands, Yishun, Clementi and Marine Parade and is studying the idea further to see if it should be made available in suitable HDB flats.
The system allows families to monitor the elderly relatives living alone at home, by collecting information from sensors placed in flats, and providing alerts via text messages to their caregiver. It takes note of one’s current location, sleeping patterns, and even the duration spent in the toilet.
The elderly will also be given a panic button, to be used to sent alerts to their caregiver in times of emergency.
Following the test-bed, which concluded last November, the HDB conducted a survey among the participants. Findings showed that all 12 participants were supportive of the use of the system, and eight agreed that it did not compromise their privacy.
The survey also found that the slowest response time, upon receiving an SMS notification from the system, was five minutes. That was the time taken by a next-of-kin to make a phone call to check on the elderly.
On the whole, the elderly were satisfied with the response time by their caregivers.
The HDB’s chief executive officer Cheong Koon Hean said: “Smart technology helps to improve the lives of residents. In this instance, it enhances the safety of our elderly residents and offers their children greater peace of mind.”
Four small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were awarded a SPRING Capability Grant to develop and test their own system for the test-bed.
