10 Ways Internet of Medical Things Is Revolutionizing Senior Care (2024)

In the year 2000, about 10% of the world’s population was aged 60 or over. By 2015 that had risen to 12%. The United Nations’ projections indicate that will increase to 16% by 2030, and jump to 22% by 2050. The percentages may not seem alarming but this will put it into perspective: by 2025, the world’s population is set to be 8 billion, of which approximately 15% or 1.2 billion will be elderly. Essentially, that is almost equivalent to the population of the second most populous country in the world—India! Another alarming statistic is the projected decline in the working-age population (25–59) between 2030 and 2050, meaning that there will be fewer people to support the growing elderly population, financially and otherwise!

But why does this matter so much? The answer is medical costs! Healthcare expenditure on the elderly is a growing concern, as it accounts for a higher share of expenditure compared to other age groups. For example the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimate that while the US elderly population in 2010 was about 13%, it accounted for 34% of the total healthcare expenditure. As life expectancy rises in the future, the share of expenditure too, is expected to rise. It is also estimated that elderly health expenditure may more than double between the ages of 70 and 90, depending on the region. With rising pressure on governments, payers, and manufacturers to reduce healthcare costs, senior care needs solutions in order to be prepared for this impending rise in expenditure.

Digital technologies and, specifically the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), have tremendous potential to help. Frost & Sullivan’s detailed analysis on the growth opportunities in IoMT, has yielded10 ways that IoMT can help provide better eldercare and, in turn, control medical costs.

1.Vitals Tracking Wearables

A majority of seniors suffer from non-communicable diseases including cardiac ailments, diabetes, and hypertension. For cardiac patients, heart monitors that can monitor ailments such as arrhythmia and alert doctors about adverse events in real time can help prevent further complications. For example, InfoBionic’s MoMe Kardia device does exactly that. Other monitors such as Cortrium’s C3 Holter Monitor and Uber Diagnostic’s CardioTrack are also available. ‘Smart’ glucometers such as Dario that can communicate the measured blood glucose readings to an app on a smartphone for storage, tracking, and managing diabetes can help elderly patients better manage their diabetes. Regular activity monitoring and heart rate monitoring can be achieved by one of the several available consumer wearable devices and smartwatches. Even when hospitalized, IoMT platforms such as the one provided by Vitls can help nurses and off-campus physicians continuously monitor seniors’ vital signs without disturbing them.

2.Medication Adherence Tools

Seniors have several medications that they need to take and with age, remembering everything becomes a challenge. Missed doses can result in exacerbation of medical conditions and in some severe cases it can even lead to serious consequences requiring hospitalization. Several IoMT products address this challenge by helping users remember when to take their medication. Products from AdhereTech, Amiko.IO, MyUBox, MedMinder, and Vitality GlowCaps tackle this challenge in their own unique ways, helping the healthcare industry by saving on costs.

3.Virtual Home Assistants

Quite a few seniors live alone or with their spouses or partners, who are also most often likely to be elderly, and require daily assistance as well as companionship. Virtual assistants such as Catalia Health’s Mabu robot, or Intuition Robotics ElliQ robot serve this purpose well. Not only do they interact with seniors through voice and touchscreens, they can also help them stay connected with their family and friends digitally using social media platforms and video chat. Additionally, they can help patients remember to take their medications, take notes, and remind them about their care providers’ medical advice. Apart from their presence in seniors’ homes, these virtual assistants can also be reached through text and mobile phones through chat. Other than robots, another category of virtual assistants is voice interactive digital assistants such as Amazon Echo or the healthcare-specific version provided by Lenovo Health in partnership with Orbita Health. For seniors, such devices can be used for medication adherence, care coordination, and patient engagement, all areas in which (considerable) healthcare cost savings can be made.

4.Portable Diagnostics Devices

Seniors need to have their biomarkers tested more frequently than others to monitor existing conditions, diagnose new ones, and to check on the overall wellbeing. Instead of frequently visiting a pathology laboratory for getting urine or blood tests done, smart and portable diagnostics devices can help seniors perform such tests in the comfort of their homes and get results in formats that allow them to be instantly shared with their care providers. Consider the Scanadu Urine Kit for biomarker analysis or the Cue device that can test Vitamin D levels. In the future, additional tests may become available that will expand the potential of home testing for seniors. The added convenience means that seniors can perform diagnostic tests more frequently, helping to diagnose diseases and thus, to begin treatment sooner, ensuring that complications are prevented to save avoidable healthcare costs.

5.Personal Emergency Response Systems

The concept is well known among many eldercare market participants. Several products are already well established and serve many needs of seniors, inside and outside their residences, such as fall detection, emergency assistance, and navigation guidance back to the residence (for dementia patients, for example) or even boundary perimeter breach alerts (for Alzheimer’s patients, for example). Some products even include additional features such as medication reminders. Several companies ranging from healthcare majors such as Philips to smaller companies and startups such as Everon, Qmedic, Lively, Motech, MobileHelp, Jupl, and UnaliWear provide these products. In addition, a unique concept that goes beyond simple fall detection, is that of ActiveProtective’s smart belt that detects falls and deploys air bags to prevent fall-related injuries and uses the Bluetooth technology to trigger an alert to designated emergency contacts. Technologies such as these can help save avoidable fall-related healthcare costs.

6.Disability Assistance Tools

Varied smart products are available for some disabilities that seniors suffer from. One of the most interesting ones is Opn Smart Hearing Aids by Oticon. With features such as direct Bluetooth connectivity to smartphones for calls or for streaming music and the ability to control volume and switch programs on television with smartphone app support, it is a ‘smart’ solution for seniors. Another solution for sensory- and cognitive-impaired seniors is Nominet’s PIPS for the management of daily routines. The customizable colored buttons installed in seniors’ residences flash until the task that patients are being reminded of is performed and the button is pressed by the user. Pressing a button activates the next button in sequence. Functions can include daily tasks such as brushing teeth or even medical tasks such as taking medication.

7.Smart Implants

Pacemakers that communicate data to smartphone apps for sharing with physicians (Medtronic MyCareLink), sensors that are embedded in orthopedic implants to communicate performance post-surgery (OrthoSensor) or glucose-sensors that communicate diabetics’ glucose levels to smartphones or dedicated readers (such as products in development by GlySens, Senseonics, Echo Therapeutics, or Google’s smart lens) are all examples of smart implants. These can help seniors take care of their health and manage their conditions better, ensuring that medical intervention is sought immediately when required.

8.Smart Senior Homes

Care staff can monitor seniors with the use of wrist-worn wearables that track their location as well as activities performed (such as bathing, walking, sleeping, and so on). The Tempo wearable by CarePredict also allows seniors to request assistance with the touch of one button and will soon also provide two-way audio communication with care staff. However, the true power of the technology lies in machine learning and predictive analytics to derive insights from seniors’ daily routines as well as any deviations. Insights could include emerging physical or mental health conditions, which can help alert care providers to the need for immediate medical intervention. A similar example is the Mimo-Care solution that can issue three types of alerts to care staff for monitored seniors: red alert (potential fall or night wandering), orange alert (irregularities in daily routine, such as not eating regularly), and yellow alert (for domestic issues such as refrigerator door left open).

9.Family Caregiver Remote Monitoring Tools

Products from 3rings, Evermind, and Sonamba help family members monitor seniors remotely, without contacting them directly. For example, the 3rings smart plug notifies family members each time the connected device is turned on, a coffee machine for example¬, allowing a family member to know that it was turned on at the regular time indicating normalcy in routine. Any deviation in routine will be detected and family members can contact seniors to ensure that seniors are indeed alright. While Evermind provides a similar product, Sonamba’s product line goes beyond this by also providing medication reminders, an emergency panic button, and the ability to share digital photos with senior loved ones as well as a texting interface that is easy for seniors to use. A slightly different approach is Welbi’s platform that connects existing fitness trackers or smartwatches to monitor health and activity, and alerts caregivers when any deviation occurs. These technologies ensure that seniors are constantly but non-intrusively monitored and receive immediate attention and medical assistance when it may be needed the most.

10.Other Approaches

Several innovative devices are being developed to help medical challenges. Consider the Opnwatr.IO approach of developing a wearable device that could provide Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) level details in the bodies or brains of wearers. For seniors, this means not having to frequently undergo expensive procedures and receiving more knowledge about their conditions without the discomfort of being surrounded by large scanning machines and at a much lower cost. Another device is the Gyenno ‘Smart Cup’ for Parkinson’s patients, allowing them to use cups independently despite the tremors they may be experiencing. Sensors detect and help counteract the action of tremors to keep the cup steady. Similar spoon and fork products, although not necessarily true IoMT devices, are also available from Gyenno as well as LiftLabs. These products can help seniors become independent, and help reduce, at least partly, the costs of constant care support.

Most of these approaches are still being developed but as they increase in sophistication, they have the potential to result in significant healthcare cost savings for the healthcare industry.

10 Ways Internet of Medical Things Is Revolutionizing Senior Care (2024)

FAQs

10 Ways Internet of Medical Things Is Revolutionizing Senior Care? ›

Applications of IoT in Medicine

IoT devices allow physicians to collect patients' vital data in real time, including heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar and more. This data can be transmitted to healthcare providers for constant monitoring and rapid response in case of abnormalities.

How the Internet of Things is revolutionizing healthcare? ›

Applications of IoT in Medicine

IoT devices allow physicians to collect patients' vital data in real time, including heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar and more. This data can be transmitted to healthcare providers for constant monitoring and rapid response in case of abnormalities.

How the Internet is changing healthcare? ›

In clinical settings, the Internet enables care providers to gain rapid access to information that can aid in the diagnosis of health conditions or the development of suitable treatment plans. It can make patient records, test results, and practice guidelines accessible from the examination room.

How might the Internet of Things affect healthcare? ›

IoT-enabled hygiene monitoring devices help in preventing patients from getting infected. IoT devices also help in asset management like pharmacy inventory control, and environmental monitoring, for instance, checking refrigerator temperature, and humidity and temperature control.

What is the future of the Internet of medical Things? ›

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), also known as IoT Healthcare, is revolutionizing the healthcare sector. It enhances the quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of healthcare, contributing to the overall health and well-being of individuals.

What technological advancements are revolutionizing healthcare? ›

For more in-depth analysis and further examples, I invite you to check The Guide to the Future of Medicine.
  • Artificial intelligence. ...
  • Extended reality. ...
  • Health trackers, wearables and sensors. ...
  • Portable diagnostics devices. ...
  • Direct-to-consumer genetic testing. ...
  • Revolutionizing drug development. ...
  • Digital therapeutics.

How AI is revolutionizing healthcare? ›

The Expanding Role of AI in Healthcare

AI's integration into healthcare is set to usher in transformative changes, including the development of personalized treatment plans tailored to individual genetic profiles and lifestyles, and virtual health assistants available 24/7, providing real-time, accurate medical advice.

What are the benefits of the Internet in healthcare? ›

How has the Internet helped healthcare?
  • Access trusted health information resources.
  • Communication electronically with your medical team (but not for emergency situations)
  • Renew prescriptions.
  • Schedule medical appointments.
  • View a health summary.
  • View certain test results.

Why is the Internet of medical Things important? ›

IoMT devices allow physicians to monitor patients from afar without having to rely on human caregivers, alerting them instantly if something goes awry.

How is technology going to change healthcare? ›

Technology is changing every aspect of our lives – and it's making dramatic transformations in the healthcare industry, too. New advances in robotics, analytics, and scanning systems are making surgeries more precise and accurate. Robots are also helping hospitals lower their costs.

What are 5 examples of IoT used in healthcare? ›

To fully explain the topic, we will highlight ten Internet of Things (IoT) healthcare examples.
  • Remote patient monitoring (RPM) ...
  • Glucose monitoring. ...
  • Heart-rate monitoring. ...
  • Hand hygiene monitoring. ...
  • Depression or mood monitoring. ...
  • Parkinson's disease monitoring. ...
  • Connected inhalers. ...
  • Ingestible sensors.
Aug 14, 2024

What are the applications of Internet of medical Things? ›

The internet of medical things (IoMT) is the collection of medical devices and applications that connect to healthcare information technology systems through online computer networks.

What are the risks of Internet of medical Things? ›

IoMT Security Risks
  • Patient safety.
  • Data breaches.
  • Ransomware.
  • Malware attacks.
  • Device hijacking.
  • Regulatory compliance problems.

How has the internet changed healthcare? ›

Some of the areas where digital technology has made an enormous impact in healthcare include: 1. Improved Access to Medical Information and Data: One of the biggest benefits of the digital revolution has been the ability to store and access data. Healthcare professionals can now retrieve patient data from anywhere.

What are the disadvantages of IoT in healthcare? ›

The threats and disadvantages of using connected devices in healthcare are as follows: Security and Privacy: Security and privacy remain a major concern that discourages users from using IoT technology for medical purposes, as healthcare monitoring solutions can be compromised or hacked.

Why virtual reality is the future of healthcare? ›

VR can provide more engaging telehealth experiences, reduce errors in medical training, and increase patient engagement and satisfaction. With its ability to recreate lifelike environments and simulations, virtual reality offers unique opportunities for healthcare providers, patients, and medical students alike.

How has digital technology changed healthcare? ›

Improved Public Health Research. Digital health data tools allow public health authorities to analyze population-level trends and make new discoveries. For example, artificial intelligence can process years of historical records to model disease outbreak likelihoods and inform targeted interventions by policymakers.

How the Internet influences our health? ›

Headaches, blurred vision, dry eye, and light sensitivity may be experienced from long hours in front of a computer screen. Elevated blood pressure was seen in a study of teenagers spending over 14 hours per week online.

How is healthcare being disrupted by technology? ›

Telemedicine stands as a pioneering example of disruptive innovation, breaking down geographical barriers and providing accessible healthcare services. With the rise of telehealth platforms, patients can consult with healthcare professionals remotely, fostering improved access to medical expertise.

How has information technology impacted healthcare? ›

Integration of IT Into Healthcare

As information technology becomes more prevalent within healthcare management, medical errors are reduced, the cost of care is lowered, and it is possible to keep more complete, accurate information about patients, improving the overall value of care.

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