Using Digital Data to Enhance the Well-being of the Elderly

Big Data for the Elderly

The Design Incubation Centre (DIC) is a design research laboratory which investigates and develops new tools of design, in order to find new possibilities for the practice of design.

As a design probe, the centre addresses and explores three spheres of research involving human needs, emerging technology and social trends. We seek to create new ideas and products that are intuitive and enriching without losing sight of the experience and encounter.

The workshops developed by the centre are framed around businesses and involve academic researchers, professionals from the industry, as well as policymakers and stakeholders from the government. These workshops take on a “phase zero” approach where it is structured to examine contexts without presumption – to make fresh observations and develop new insights so as to generate relevant, innovative concepts.

The Design Incubation Centre is part of the Division of Industrial Design. It was proposed by the School of Design and Environment as a result of a strategic initiative by the National University of Singapore for each school or faculty to develop its own centre of excellence.

The Centre has ran several workshops, two of which involved the Elderly, and one on the topic of Big Data. Our workshops aim to discover new insights on probe topics and to encourage new potential design outcomes.

More information can be found on our website:www.designincubationcentre.com

PROFILE

BIG DATA [mobile phones and pervasive sensors] will revolutionize health management and support for chronic patients.

AIMS

As data and sensors proliferate into our lives, how can we use them for useful design outcomes? In today’s Big Data context, we often use data to improve systems and build better cities. But how often are they used to significantly improve one’s lives?

In this project, we aim to use Digital data to enhance the well-being of the elderly.

Data has helped cities make informed decisions. Let’s use data to help improve the lives of the elderly, streamline the workflow of their caregivers and provide a peace of mind to family members.

This project is a continuation of DIC’s efforts to discover the potential of Digital Data for Design.

elderlydigital data

“ “

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital / Collaborative Chronic Care Network MICHAEL SEID

WHAT IS BIG DATA?

Big data is data that is too large, complex and dynamic for any conventional data tools to capture, store, manage and analyse. It is dynamic, changing and continuous. Facebook feeds, GPS routes, Purchases, Photos, Videos and Sensors are just some examples of sources of Big Data. With the amount of data mankind produce every day, Big data can now provide us with billions of opportunities, which makes it the frontier for innovation today.

It has been observed that there hasn’t been much attention given to Big Data in the field of creative applications and industrial design. As such, the centre is putting its efforts to explore Big Data from a design perspective. In this workshop, the elderly is centered as the focus.

THEMES

1) Ageing In Place

2) Healthcare

3) Active Ageing

Independent Living. Helping the elderly grow old in their own homes by allowing them to live independently

How can data play a role in keeping the elderly active? How can the tech savvy elderly continue to be informed as they age?

Using data & sensors to help family members, caregivers and their ownselves to track their health.

Warning of any impending health problems

Tracking Diabetics etc.

We chose the Elderly as the user to design for because their many needs, wishes and wants provide a fertile platform and opportunity for design. Below are three themes we have identified.

Ageing In Place

In Singapore, it is estimated that the number of elderly living alone is likely to increase from 35,000 to 83,000 by 2030*, because of Singapore’s ageing population. Some common problems they face at home include, the lack of emotional and physical support from others, the lack of immediate assistance or suicide due to depression.This potentially pose a danger to themselves, which eventually affects both family and society. Since 2007, more than 50 elderly have been found dead in their homes*.

By helping the elderly live longer in their own homes, we help them reduce their cost of spending and government’s spending. These elderly can also live longer, safely and happily in their own communities, without institutionalization. We also hope that our design outcomes would benefit their children that aren’t living with them by assuring them that their elderly parents are alright.

There are other needs, such as health and social, that needs to be further addressed. We hope to discover more of such needs during our user observations.

Healthcare

In 2012, we see the rise of the use of data for healthcare. From medical phone applications, tracking devices to health systems, tons of systems have been designed to use data to help patients, and even doctors, manage their health.

In the same way, Data can be used to help the elderly manage their own health. Sensors can alert elderly or family members of potential health problems, manage their current health problems or even simply to remind them to take their medications. By understanding the needs of the elderly and designing a seamless system for them, we can help them manage their health better and live longer.

Active Ageing

The elderly of the futre are becoming more and more tech savvy and receptive to technology. As these elderly grow old, how can we use Data to help prepare them for their old age? How can data assume a role to assist them in their daily life?

* http://app.msf.gov.sg/Portals/0/Summary/pressroom/MediaCoverage/Apr2012/120412%20ST%20SpB6%20Seniors%20living%20alone.pdf

HOW IT WOULD BENEFIT ELDERLY?

POTENTIAL DESIGN DIRECTIONS

1) Improving communication between elderly and their children

2) Using data to manage health

3) Using data to provide assistance to their daily lives

AIM: Understanding what data can do

- Success examples on data- Listen to talks on Data

AIM: Discover problems & insights

- Interviewing of elderly- Visitation to elderly homes- Listen to talks about elderly

understanding data analyse findings

WORKSHOP SCOPE

understanding users

Day 1 Day 1

The workshop would be held over a period of 3 days. The first day would focus on allowing participants to gain a deeper insight of Data & the Elderly. The second would focus on evaluating these findings and ideation on concepts. And finally, concepts would be shared on the last day.

Day 2

Presentation of ideasAIM: Brainstorming & prototyping concepts

AIM: Synthesising observations

ideation sharing

Day 2 Day 3

WORKSHOP SCOPE

POTENTIAL CONCEPTS

During our pre-research, we interviewed several elderly and visited their living conditions to understand their needs and wants. We also spoke with several social workers to understand the common problems they face with the elderly as well. With these understanding, we generated a few quick concepts that could be potential outcomes of the workshop.

1) Elderly Locator

We learnt that a common problem family members face is the issue of locating their lost elderly parents due to cases of dementia. Many of these elderly do not own a cellphone too. One observation we picked up is that most elderly bring out a key with them. The elderly locator is to attach a GPS keychain onto their keys that sends us their location to family members in an emergency.

3) Medicine Reminder

Another problem elderly face is that they don’t remember how many times they’ve taken their medicine, or if they’ve taken at all. This might lead them to eat twice or not eat at all. Perhaps data can intervene to inform them of their medicine intake and also to help manage their health as well.

2) Refrigerator Sensor

“The first thing my grandmother does every morning is to open the fridge”, commented one of our interviewees. By putting a sensor into their fridge, we can understand the patterns of the user opening and closing the fridge everyday. With this data, once the fridge has not been opened for a certain time, an sms can be sent to family members to alert them to give their elderly a call, in the case of an emergency.

EXISTING EXAMPLES

1) Elderly Home Monitoring System

Wireless motion sensors installed at home to track resident’s movements. Once an unusually long motionless period is detected, the system sends an SMS to a caregiver or volunteer. They can then give the elderly a call or make a trip down to check if they are alright. Such a system gives both family members and elderly a peace of mind. This system has rescued several elderly who have fell down at home.

http://www.np.edu.sg/home/news/archives/2010/oct_dec/Documents/tnp24oct10_TheyWillKnow.pdf

News

REPORT: GAN LING KAIganlk@sph.com.sg

EVERY day, with much difficulty, shewheels herself into the bathroomand hoists herself onto the toilet

bowl just to take a shower.Occasionally, she falls off her wheel-

chair, mostly when she tries to pick some-thing up from the floor.

When she falls, she usually uses herarms to drag herself back onto the wheel-chair again, resulting in bruises on her limbs.

In August, she hit her head at least once.So, what if one day, after she falls, 85-year-old Miss

Sim Siok Buay is unable to get back up by herself?What if the elderly woman, who lost the use of her

legs several years ago, gets knocked unconscious?Fears of being injured and home alone in her

one-room rental flat in Mei Ling Street have never beentoo far from her mind.

But now, she can feel more secure.That’s because she is one of two elderly residents

whose flats are now fixed with an alert system that hasbeen on trial since last December.

The Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Elderly Monitoring Sys-tem, designed by the polytechnic’s staff and students,tracks the movement of an elderly resident and sendsan SMS to a caregiver if it detects unusually long peri-

ods of inactivity. (See infographic.)Miss Sim was chosen because two types of senior

citizens – the physically active and the less mobile –were needed for the trial. Miss Sim fitted the latterprofile.

The designers wanted to find out if the technologywould work for seniors with different lifestyles.

Initially, Miss Sim was not open to the idea of lettingstrangers into her home to set up the gadgets.

It took the staff of voluntary welfare organisationLions Befrienders Service Association two weeks topersuade her to take part in the pilot project after theywere approached by the electrical engineering divisionof the polytechnic late last year.

When The New Paper on Sunday visited Miss Sim’shome – which was cluttered with old plastic wrappers,paper bags, boxes, clothes and drink cans – in August,she said she is a very private person.

After seeing black bed bugs scuttling across hermattress – stained with her blood – this paper’s teamoffered to help clean up her flat.

No, thank you, she said. She had rejected similaroffers from Lions Befrienders volunteers on many occa-sions in the past.

So what changed her mind about letting the poly-technic students into her home?

Mr Eric Cheong, 46, the centre manager for theLions Befrienders Seniors Activity Centre (Mei Ling),said: “We explained to her that the success of the trialwill bring benefits to many other senior citizens.”

Miss Sim is now glad to have opened her home forthe trial.

She said in Hokkien: “I feel safer with (the system)fixed in my home. If I ever fall and I can’t get up for along time, at least someone else will know.”

Madam Molly Zhou Yamei, 79, is the other seniorcitizen whose flat was installed with the system. Shelives in the same block as Miss Sim.

Madam Zhou was widowed about 12 years ago andlives alone instead of with her daughter and two grand-children.

She said in Mandarin: “My daughter is very busyand my other relatives seldom visit, so I have fewvisitors.”

Trial usersShe keeps herself busy with housework, and her flat

is spick and span.She also feels more secure with the alert system in

place.She was chosen for the trial as her daily routine fits

the profile of a senior with an active lifestyle. She likes totake long walks around the neighbourhood.

Over the last 10 months of the trial, neither Miss Sim

nor Madam Zhou faced any emergency situation thatrequired an immediate response.

But through their participation, the effectiveness ofthe motion sensors was tested and refined.

The design team also managed to study the motionpatterns of Miss Sim and Madam Zhou. This helpedthem in forming motion profiles of elderly residents,which will be taken into account when applying thesystem on a larger scale.

More than 10 students from different batches ofNgee Ann Polytechnic’s electrical engineering divisionwere involved with the project, which was conceivedthree years ago.

It was originally designed to detect an elderly resi-dent falling. But for practical reasons, the alert systemwas modified two years ago to detect the movements ofthe elderly residents.

The final version of the Elderly Monitoring Systemwas produced late last year.

Most of the students involved in the research havegraduated over the past two years.

One of them is Mr Ivan Toh Choon Hong, 21, who isabout to serve his National Service.

He said: “Miss Sim and Aunty Molly are very friend-ly. They are like grandmothers to me now.”

Mrs Lek-Lim Geok Choo, 51, the deputy director ofthe polytechnic’s electrical engineering division, hasbeen supervising the project from its inception, and isgratified to see how far it has progressed.

She believes that the alert system will increase theelderly’s chance of survival in the event of an accidentor illness.

“Even in the worst-case scenario, at least the body ofan elderly (person) who has passed away will not be leftunattended for days, emitting a stench in the block. Wemust protect their dignity,” she said.

Lions Befrienders have shortlisted another 1,000 eld-erly persons living alone who have expressed an inter-est in having the system fixed in their homes.

But for that to happen, donations and volunteers areneeded. (See report on facing page.)

To find out how you can make a difference, visittnp.sg/helpinghands.

SINCE Project Helping Hands was launched lastSunday, more than $14,000 in donations have come infrom the public.

While this is still a long way from the $1 millionrequired to fix the alert system in 1,000 homes of needyelderly residents, the project has garnered strongsupport from the community.

Mr Teh Thien Yew, general manager of theSingapore Kindness Movement, and Mr Gerard Ee,chairman of the Council for Third Age, have applaudedthe project.

Now, Mr Teo Ser Luck, the senior parliamentarysecretary for the Ministry of Community Development,Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Transport, hasstepped forward to lend his support after reading aboutit in The New Paper.

Mr Teo, 42, told The New Paper on Sunday: “I’mglad to know this technology has been harnessed tohelp the elderly. It is important for the aged to get suchassistance, especially when they are living alone.”

Mr Teo, who’s also the mayor of the North EastCommunity Development Council, added that hisCDC is willing to work with the Lions BefriendersService Association to recruit volunteers for the project.

“Right now, there are many different parties such as

voluntary welfare organisations and governmentagencies working together to provide assistance for theaged. The CDC may be a suitable organisation tocoordinate and work with these organisations to assistthe elderly residents in the respective district,” he said.

“Somebody needs to follow through with theresidents during the process of getting help.

“Project Helping Hands is an example of how themedia can gather the different stakeholders and informthe public about the direction (of a communityproject).”

But Mr Teo emphasised that it is also important forpeople in the neighbourhood to do their part.

“Neighbours and grassroots leaders could also bethe helping hands to link the residents, including theelderly, for assistance should there be a need,” heexplained.

With the number of those aged 60 and above andliving on their own projected to rise from 35,000 lastyear to 83,000 in 2030, Mr Teo said it is most importantfor Singapore to get itself ready for the ageingpopulation.

He said: “We cannot wait till 2030. We must preparein advance. In all areas, such as town planning andtransport planning, the needs of the elderly have tonaturally come to mind.”

THE NEW PAPER

tnp.sg/helpinghandsProject Helping Hands

SILENTWATCH:Mr Ivan Tohand fellowformerstudent YinYin(foreground)working onthe ElderlyMonitoringSysteminstalled inMadam SimSiok Buay’shome works.

TNP PICTURE:BENJAMINSEETOR

Wheelchair-bound womanhas Elderly MonitoringSystem installed in her home

TO help the elderly who are living alone, The NewPaper has partnered the Lions Befrienders ServiceAssociation and Ngee Ann Polytechnic in ProjectHelping Hands.

THE PROJECTDESIGNIt involves installing wireless motion sensors in theapartments of senior citizens living alone.

The system tracks the resident’s movementsand sends an SMS to a caregiver or volunteer if itdetects unusually long motionless periods – forexample, if the resident stops moving due to aninjury or illness.

This technology, known as the NP’s ElderlyMonitoring System, was developed by the staffand students of Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Lions Befrienders has identified 1,000 needyelderly Singaporeans living in one-room flats aspotential beneficiaries.IMPLEMENTATIONTo get the hardware portion of the project up andrunning, at least $1 million is needed by the end ofthe year – $1,000 for every home.

Equally important is the heartware. Volunteersare needed to adopt seniors living on their own.

Their main responsibility is to receive and acton the SMS alerts that will be automatically sentout if the sensors detect any unusually longmotionless periods.

HOW TO HELPAny amount is welcomed. A donation of $1,000will pay for sensors to be installed in one flat. Youcan donate more if you wish to adopt more thanone household.

We hope students in the same class,colleagues in a department or neighbours on thesame street or community group will cometogether to adopt a home.

Cheques of any amount, made payable to“Lions Befrienders”, can be mailed to:

Lions Befrienders Service Association(Singapore)Blk 130, Bukit Merah View, #01-358,Singapore 150130

Please indicate on the back of the cheque: Project Helping Hands Your full name NRIC number Address Contact number

Corporate donors should also indicate theircompany’s name (as registered with Acra) andtheir business registration number.

Donations can also be made by cash at theLions Befrienders’ office during office hours(9am-6pm) on weekdays.

All donations are tax-exempt.

HOW TO VOLUNTEERTo sign up as a volunteer, please call1800-375 8600 or visitwww.lionsbefrienders.org.sg

All funds raised for the project will be handledand disbursed by Lions Befrienders.

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKSGathers data from the sensors wirelessly. It comes with a modem and will send an SMS to alert the caregiver if there’s no motion detected for a period of time.

The controllerDetects opening and closing of the door.

Magnetic door sensor

Infra-red is used to detect movement.

Motion sensors

Powers the sensors and communicates wirelessly with the controller.

5 sensors mounted on the ceiling overlaps one another to provide full coverage of the area. The sensors cannot detect motion through walls.

Wireless module

Helpusreachout to them

If she falls, they will know

NorthEastCDCoffers torecruitvolunteers

8 24 October 2010 THE NEW PAPER ON SUNDAY THE NEW PAPER ON SUNDAY 24 October 2010 9

http://www.parkinsonsvoice.org

2) Flush Tracking

Sensors are installed in toilet bowls to track how many times an elderly flushes the toilet. By tracking this data, it alerts if an anomaly arises, indicating any potential health issues. One such example is to curb Urinary Tract Infection, which is a common problem among elders that arises because of the lack of passing of urine. By tracking flushes, we can not only warn them but also encourage them to use the bathroom more often as well.

3) Parkinson’s Voice Initiative

The Parkinson’s Voice Initiative determines if an elderly is getting Parkinson’s disease by detecting it through a phone call. This solution is low cost, accurate and only a short time needed.

4) Ginger.io

This phone application collects and analyzes passive and active cellphone data to help people track their moods and health of their patients. It can tell if users are moody, unwell or if they are in danger of an illness soon. It also helps patients monitor their own health.

http://ginger.io

EXISTING EXAMPLES

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAMS

The Centre emphasizes strongly on a multidisciplinary collaboration for effective learning. Listed below are the different disciplines we would like to approach and also the individual benefits for participating in the workshop.

Elderly Services

- Elderly Caregivers - Voluntary Welfare Organizations - Government Ministries - Elderly Welfare Agencies

As experts in this area, members of these organizations can share insights and give talks on elderly issues, provide insights to ideas or even provide feedback for the final designs. Participants would also gain understanding of design thinking methods which they can apply in their workplace.

Data Experts

- IDA - BigData.SG Members - Participants of Data Hackathons

As data experts, participants can give a sharing on the possibilties and applications of Big Data. Participants can also learn how to apply Data in a user-focused manner which directly impacts someone’s life.

Design

- NUS Industrial Design Students - Designers from Industry - Companies focusing on Elderly Design - A*Star Research

Participants would learn how to work in multi-disciplinary teams, apply user research techniques and design thinking methods.

Others

- Students from other faculties - Any interested participants

For more information, please contact:angelatay@nus.edu.sg

Design Incubation CentreDivision of Industrial DesignSchool of Design and EnvironmentNational University of Singapore4 Architecture Drive, Singapore 117566

Tel: +65 6516 4881Fax: +65 6779 3078

www.designincubationcentre.com