11th September 2008

Research released by Healthsense and NewCourtland Elder Services concludes that seniors who rely on remote monitoring technology to help them remain secure and independent adapt well to living with the technology and do not see it as intrusive or impersonal.

Conducted by an independent research consulting firm at four locations within the NewCourtland Network, a non-profit provider of community services, housing and nursing homes for more than 2,200 seniors in Philadelphia, the study measured the effectiveness of Healthsense’s eNeighbor remote monitoring technology and captured the perceptions of residents, family members and staff employing it.

Participants in the survey reported an overwhelmingly positive attitude toward the eNeighbor System. Seniors, some of whom have lived with the technology in their residences for more than two years, unanimously agreed that the system makes them feel safer and more secure while enabling them to live independently for longer. Of those surveyed, only one elderly resident reported a concern about intrusiveness. Staff members interviewed for the study unanimously agreed that the eNeighbor System allows them to better assess the care needed by residents, helps them provide the appropriate level of care, and improves the quality of care overall that residents receive.

“We thought at first that adapting to the technology would be a major issue for our residents, but clearly it was not,” said Kim Brooks, NewCourtland’s Vice President, Housing and Community-based Services. “The results of the survey demonstrate that even seniors with little or no prior exposure to this technology can readily adapt to it once they realize the improved quality of life it offers.”

Brian Bischoff, President and CEO of Healthsense, said, “Preliminary research supports that it’s potentially more cost-effective for seniors to receive care at home or in their own community versus an institutional setting. This study demonstrates the efficiency of technology to safely and affordably meet the healthcare needs of our rapidly growing senior population while enabling them to live independently and enjoy a better quality of life that supports their desire to age in place.”

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