The Scenario:
Your mom, a widow, has been living alone for the past 20 years in the house she and her partner built when you were a kid. Even though the neighborhood is deteriorating, she’s happy living there, plus your brother lives a few blocks away.
For the past few years you and your siblings have noticed that your mom's health is starting to decline. She has been forgetting more and doesn't eat much or drink enough water. She enjoys knitting while watching her favorite tv programs, but needs to get up and move around regularly. Her doctor wants her to work on a set of physical therapy exercises that help her with her mobility.
Recently, she’s had a couple of falls, but nothing serious enough to send her to the hospital. One day, you decide to bring her dinner after work and see how’s she’s doing. When you arrive, you notice her front door is unlocked. How long has the door been unlocked? Does she do this often? You know it's time to talk with your mom and her other caregivers.
3M, The global science company, is interested in designing a connected ecosystem that enables aging adults to live independently in their own homes, despite deteriorating health, cognitive ability, and physical capabilities.
I worked on a team to create a multi-touchpoint experience that’s engaging and meaningful to both aging individuals as well as their caregivers.
Meet the Team:
Amanda Gunderson: Smart Entry
Andy Hall: Smart Fridge
Emily Kellett: Smart Picture
Kaitlyn Reinhardt: SmartSensor
Zach Lulavy: Seat Buddy
In order to produce something engaging & meaningful, we knew we needed to ask a lot of questions. As a team we interviewed Ameilia, who works at 3M in the healthcare segment, to learn what business goals 3M had in this new market area.
Process to Come Up with a Solution
How do we come up with an engaging and meaningful system to help the aging individuals in our lives age-in-place?
We each took a different topic and did deep dive researches into the relationships between technology, the healthcare industry, the aging population, caregiving, and communications.
Real-life Insight:
My mother is one of four caregivers for her own mother, so I called her to talk about her experiences with being a caregiver and if there were any pain points around her mother living on her own. She told me that her mother wears a fall detection pendant & how it connects to the EMTs in the event of a fall. She also informed me that my grandmother leaves her front door unlocked so that a visitor can easily stop by and that this has become more concerning.
My mother also told me about being caregivers with my father for his parents. Both situations were very different and had their own difficulties. This is a great starting point, but also makes me think that I’d like to learn more about all the various needs for this type of living situation for both aging individuals and their caregivers.
Stakeholder Interview +
Deep Dive Research +
Insights =
ECOSYSTEM IDEAS
We learned that a major part of enabling an aging individual to live on their own is part preventative products as well as part reactive products. This is how we arrived at our current ecosystem of touch-points.
The “Age-In-Place Care System”:
My team landed on an integrated system of products that all conversed with one another to keep the aging individual safe and healthy as well as inform others in the event of an emergency, such as a fall.
My Part of the Ecosystem:
I designed a Smart Entry system that enables the Aging Individual peace of mind, safety, and simplicity.
There are many amazing products and technologies out there, yet few are integrated for the aging population.
I wanted to focus on the communication & security aspect of the system, allowing caregivers to keep their parents safe.
Smart Entry
Is an integrated entry point of the home that has:
Camera that records activity
Facial recognition screen that allows certain people access to home without the need of a key.
Intercom communication to speak with home owner.
Traditional doorbell with electronic fingerprint recognition as a secondary authentication mechanism.
RSID technology that integrates with the SmartCare Sensor and acts as a key fob. A key fob as part of a keychain can also be used.
In the event the power isn’t working,, the top half can slide up to expose a traditional keyhole.
A lever-style handle provides an accessible way to open the door.
Smart Entry can notify both the aging individual and caregiver via the Smart Picture and native phone or tablet application of who’s at the door.
This allows the individual to respond with a short answer, unlock the door, or speak with the visitor.
Integrates with the SmartCare Sensor notification system to allow EMTs into an injured individuals home.
When someone approaches the door, Seat buddy gives a gentle nudge as a notification as an image shows up on the Smart Picture system.
When the Smart Fridge places a food delivery service order, Smart Entry unlocks to allow the refrigerator to be restocked with portion specific meals.
The Age-In-Place Care System Prototypes:
Story Board
Important Statistics:
Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.
Several studies have found that nursing home residents have worse health outcomes than seniors who choose to age in place, even if seniors are in similar health.
Studies have shown that nursing home residents are at a much higher risk of bacterial and viral infections, including life-threatening infections such as pneumonia.
According to a study by Clarity, seniors fear moving into a nursing home more than they fear death.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans. Falls threaten seniors’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs.
According to the AARP, more than 95% of seniors want to stay in their home as long as possible, even if they need assistance with day to day activity.
Aging in place tends to improve seniors’ quality of life, which improves their physical health.
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