As per a UN report – World Population Aging 2013:
- The global share of older people (aged 60 years or over) increased from 9.2 % in 1990 to 11.7 % in 2013 and will continue to grow as a proportion of the world population, reaching 21.1 % by 2050.
- Globally, the number of older persons (aged 60 years or over) is expected to more than double, from 841 million people in 2013 to more than 2 billion in 2050. Older persons are projected to exceed the number of children for the first time in 2047.
- The older population is itself aging. Globally, the share of older persons aged 80 years or over within the older population was 14% in 2013 and is projected to reach 19% in 2050. If this projection is realized, there will be 392 million persons aged 80 years or over by 2050, more than three times the present.
- Globally, 40 % of older persons aged 60 years or over live independently.
In the light of above facts, it becomes imperative that communities and governments come together to form an action plan to take care of its seniors. Technology can definitely play a major role in ensuring the safety of seniors when they are at special facilities such as Assisted Living, Long Term Care, Extended care or living independently. One of the major challenges faced by facilities providing care and assistance to elderly is safety; especially the facilities that provide for memory care patients, or elderly who suffer from dementia commonly caused by Alzheimer’s and are more likely to forget their way back to their rooms or wander off unknowingly. There are numerous technology solutions that can protect seniors and help the caregivers provide the best care, one such technology is Active RFID. Based on 433 MHz Active RFID, Guard RFID Solutions Inc. has developed, a Wander Management solution that gives patients freedom while the staff can keep a virtual eye on them and make sure they are safe. The system actively monitors and instantly notifies caregivers of any alerts and alarms triggered by the Tags as a result of an impending risk. The system allows a senior care facility to implement powerful yet flexible security policies. It can be deployed as a perimeter security system, or as a full-featured Real Time Location (RTLS) and Security system. Guard RFID’s Wander Management System allows caregivers to keep tabs on all residents under their care and protect them without impeding their freedom of movement, or that of their staff. The instant detection of tagged patients at exit doors can initiate local and remote audio/visual alarms using sounders, strobes, emails and text messages. The door locking and control features can be automatically launched based on the individual patient’s permissions to access the door, and the time of day. All this offers real-time visibility of patients, especially high-risk patients.
Guard RFID’s Wander Management solution ensures that seniors can roam freely around the facility, and staff can be ensured of their safety and location all the time. It is proactive security – More than RTLS.
Learn more about Wander Management.
