At left: Arbor Rose Executive Director Lori Toombs reviews the QuietCare system  to check for potential emergencies. Innovative technology is enabling seniors at Arbor Rose at Jerome Home to enjoy the independence and privacy of their own apartments there with the confidence that the care staff can be alerted rapidly to any changes in their health or mobility. Arbor Rose recently invested in QuietCare®, a remote, camera-less monitoring system that uses small wireless motion sensors in each apartment to learn and detect patterns of daily living. The sensors send information to the staff when changes in behavior occur.

QuietCare® enables the Arbor Rose staff to non-intrusively monitor seniors’ daily living patterns in the home. When significant changes in daily activity are detected, QuietCare® automatically sends alerts so the staff can respond to possible health, safety or wellness issues.

“With QuietCare, we now have the ability to detect potential emergencies, such as a possible bathroom fall, no morning wake-up activity or extremes in apartment temperatures, earlier than we might have otherwise,” said Toombs.  “QuietCare can alert our staff to potentially dangerous situations so we can intervene quickly.  So far, we have implemented the QuietCare system into twenty-five of our apartments.” 

QuietCare® was designed to help seniors live with increased peace of mind and greater independence. The system includes small wireless motion sensors – not cameras or microphones – installed throughout a resident’s apartment or living unit.  Coupled with powerful software, the sensors detect and learn patterns of movement created by the resident’s round-the-clock activities, such as when they awaken, go to sleep, prepare meals, reach for medication, or use the bathroom.  When an out-of-the-ordinary event occurs such as a nighttime bathroom visit without a return to bed, or a higher total number of visits than is normal to the place where prescription medicines are kept, it is identified by the software.  The staff can then respond to emergency alerts or view and assess activity changes as possible indicators of health trends. 

“So far, QuietCare’s motion sensors have alerted our staff to two of our residents who had urinary tract infections by detecting over-frequent use of the bathroom,” Toombs explained.  “Our goal is to proactively address the needs of our residents on an on-going basis in order to better assist them with daily living activities and health issues.  It’s all about helping them to enjoy their independence longer, with greater safety and in better health.  It’s also about giving them and their families the peace of mind that they’re being well cared for.”

For more information about QuietCare® at Arbor Rose at Jerome Home please call 860-229-3707.  Additional information on the QuietCare system also may be found at www.gehealthcare.com/quietcare.