30 years of alarm call data delivers new early warning system about potential health concerns among elderly people
Taking Care, a UK personal alarm provider, has unveiled ActiveAlert, an assistive technology service that provides proactive alerts to family members about potential health concerns among elderly adults.
ActiveAlert acts as an early warning system and combines AI and big data to shift care from being reactive to proactive. It is designed to help older adults remain independent at home for longer and address caregiving challenges.
Personal alarms help older people live independently and provide a way to call for help in an emergency. ActiveAlert uses insights from 30 years of alarm call data to monitor how and when the personal alarms are used. By detecting changes in usage patterns, the ActiveAlert algorithm identifies potential health and wellbeing concerns among older adults who rely on the alarms.
The assistive technology acts as an early warning system by triggering a wellbeing check-in call when it detects changes in the frequency, timing, or nature of alarm calls. These changes may indicate a shift in the user’s condition or overall wellbeing.
“Traditional elderly care often waits for something to go wrong, like a fall or decline in health, before stepping in,” said Andrew Ridpath, Head of Emergency Resolution at Taking Care.
“With ActiveAlert, we’re changing that approach by proactively monitoring wellbeing and providing support before emergencies occur. This not only helps maintain our customers’ independence but also offers their families invaluable peace of mind.”
Recent research commissioned by Taking Care highlights growing concerns about elderly care and an increasing openness to technological solutions. 2,0009 UK adults took part in a survey between the 13th and 19th of September 2024.
Only a quarter of respondents said they have the time to provide around-the-clock care for their older relatives. Nearly two-thirds said they are concerned about their older relatives living alone. Just over three-quarters would support the use of AI if it enhances health and independence for older adults. While 72 percent believe that innovations in technology can support health and wellbeing.
Devised to respond to the UK’s ageing population, ActiveAlert can alert potential concerns or red flags to families before emergency scenarios arise, allowing carers and family members to proactively put the steps in place to support their older relatives and manage health and frailty. Taking Care says this also helps reduce health service dependence and support independence in later life.
ActiveAlert aims to alleviate health service strain and also offer further support to informal carers, who often struggle to check on family members regularly due to location, lifestyle, or work and family commitments.
Amanda Amory, from Cambridgeshire, invested in a Taking Care personal alarm for her 85-year-old father, Ron, after he broke his elbow in a fall. Despite Ron now having 24/7 care, the personal alarm remains a lifeline for the family.
Speaking of the alarm package, which includes ActiveAlert, Amanda commented: “My father lives seven miles away, and despite his 24/7 care I still visit twice a day and rely on his personal alarm when his carers take their daily two hour break.
“Initially, the alarm was for alerting us to any physical issues when my dad was more mobile, whereas now, it’s very much a comfort blanket for all of us, providing essential peace of mind that he can access help at any time of the night or day – it really is worth its weight in gold to us.
“Thanks to ActiveAlert, knowing if he is pressing his alarm more regularly during the night or on the odd occasion he is alone allows us to better understand his mental wellbeing, along with knowing there’s always support in place, at all times.”
ActiveAlert is available to all new Taking Care alarm customers at no additional cost, integrating into their existing 24/7 support service.
Data from Taking Care last year revealed that telecare could save the NHS over £200 million a year.