J. Patrick Bewley, CEO of Big Cloud Analytics, and Moulay Elalamy, VP of information technology at Benchmark Senior Living, presented a study at HIMSS 2017 in Orlando on the effects of wearable technology on seniors living in a community center.

The researchers used digital health tools and interventions to assess overall wellness in the senior care continuum. The goals of the study included monitoring patients' variables in activity and define improvements in the community.

“We were surprised on how much interest there was in participating in the study,” said Elalamy. “I even had a 95-year-old women ask me about HIPAA compliance. Through the study, we also noticed a very competitive nature in the seniors, showing how interested they were in participating and beating their friends in activity.”

The study began by identifying challenges with the elder population, including establishing a charging routine, ensuring the synchronization of data and the interpretation of data from differing types of patients. Establishing a baseline of “normal” data proved a barrier for researchers due to the multiple types of seniors in the study based on age, gender, medications and disease conditions. Measuring an individual's steps also proved tricky because some seniors walked normally, while some used canes, walkers and motorized carts.

In monitoring the population, researchers gained insights to a senior's increases in heart rates and steps. The data also helped predict illness before even caregivers, who spend the whole day with the person.

In one particular incident, researchers inquired why a patient had been sent to the hospital. They were told the patient had not been feeling well for a few days. After looking into his wearable data, researchers were able to identify abnormalities in his analytics four days before the clinician. Wearable data also identified fall patterns, urinary tract infections, slurred speech, stomach bleeding and blood clots.