Tigerplace

Abstract

TigerPlace is presented as an example of senior housing which has incorporated smart home technology into senior apartments. The goal of TigerPlace was to develop a true aging in place housing site in which residents move into independent apartments and stay through the end of life. In-home sensing technology is used to augment care coordination to detect early signs of illness and functional decline to allow early interventions aimed at proactively keeping residents healthy. Over 55 apartments have been outfitted with in-home sensor networks since 2005 with an average longevity of 2.6 years. Sensors tested in TigerPlace apartments include motion sensors, bed sensors, stove temperature sensors, and gait/fall detection sensors. All sensors are environmentally mounted and designed to be as invisible as possible. Studies have investigated which sensors and sensor features are most important for detecting early illness signs. A prospective research study at TigerPlace using in-home sensing and automated health alerts showed significant differences in health outcomes between a control group receiving normal care and an intervention group with sensors and automated health alerts.