Elderly people may live at home longer with M2M solutions

Visma is the leading supplier of software and services for finance and administration in Norway. Telenor Objects has long experience with M2M (machine-to-machine) communication, such as collecting, saving and processing data from sensors and alarms. The partners’ common innovation project aims at showing how off-the-shelf technology may be used to enable a larger number of old people to stay home longer and offer care personnel the opportunity to spend more of their working time on their core activities.

“According to Statistics Norway there are 4.4 employed people per retired person today. In year 2050 this number will be reduced to 2.5. Clearly, we need to exploit available resources in innovative and better ways. Increased use of technology may be one of the answers to this challenge,” said Product Manager Leif-Inge Jakobsen inVisma.

Necessary technology in place

Telenor Object’s platform for data acquisition enables sharing of information between sensors and applications in a secure and efficient way. Telenor has already run a pilot on mobile health services together with seven local councils in southern Norway. Stand-alone solutions have been tested. For instance, when a patient had taken all her medication in her pill dispenser, a message was automatically generated to the health care system.

Integrating sensor data into the professional software

“There is already a multitude of different sensor solutions from various vendors on the market, for example sensors for measuring blood pressure or insulin level. But we have a long way to go before the reception and storage of data from these sensors are standardized. As of today these data are fragmented and not easily available so this is what we are working with,” said Project Manager Elin Heir in Telenor Objects.

To begin with the innovation project will include sensors for measuring blood pressure and oxygen saturation in the blood and for detecting falls and bedwetting. Telenor is working on how to receive and save these sensor data on their platform, and Visma will process the data into their various software systems. The ambition is to have the new solutions in place shortly and start demonstrations.

Freedom of choice when you get old

Elderly people today are used to freedom of choice. They are used to self service in various fields and an increasing number of them are also familiar with online solutions. This has prepared the ground for telcos and partners to make use of more technology in tomorrow’s caring services without compromising old people’s safety.

The Telenor and Visma innovation project aims at giving the care personnel new tools to improve the quality of their offers and will not suggest radical changes in their way of work. As they will receive important information electronically, travelling time to and from their clients will be reduced and free time for those who need it most will be gained.

Denmark and Scotland are ahead of Norway in this field and studies from these countries show that the elderly appreciate automatic alerts when they are in need, instead of care people coming at regular times to check on them.

“In the case of bedwetting for example, it is much better that the nurse is coming to the patient’s home as soon as possible after humidity is detected rather than following a regular visit schedule. This type of solutions can make old age more worthy for those living at home,” said Leif-Inge Jakobsen.