Design of a smart continence management system based on initial user requirement assessment

Abstract

Those with dementia need closer attention and monitoring when they develop incontinence. Incontinence can lead to medical complications such as skin breakdown, places greater demands on caregivers, and strips the patients of their dignity. We have taken a step towards building a smart continence management system (SCMS) by automating the detection of events and forwarding details of these events to caregivers. Besides reducing bedsores and concomitant ill-effects of the elderly remaining in soiled diapers for prolonged periods, SCMS also benefits caregivers, helping them improve visitation schedules and time management. In the user-requirements generation phase, a cohort of people were interviewed. Subsequently the user-requirements were translated into technical specifications, based on which, a product survey was conducted. The system was designed, implemented, deployed and is being evaluated at a nursing home in Singapore. Initial results are encouraging. A planned usability study/overall system evaluation will provide new requirements for the second version. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.