She falls but gets help with just a click

This post came out from The New Paper (26 July 2015)

A slipper got caught in her walking stick, causing her to trip and fall hard on her right hip. Given the intense pain she was in, Madam Choon Keng Chan could hardly move or stand up. The consequences could have been dire for Madam Choon because she lives alone.

But fortunately for the 101-year old, help came in 30 minutes, even though it was 11pm. This was all thanks to the Elderly Monitoring System (EMS), which is designed to watch over senior citizens living alone.

When the accident happened last month, Madam Choon pressed a button on the EMS device which she carries with her. Madam Doh Tong Kiok, 70, a Lions Befriender, rushed to Madam Choon's one room Bukit Merah View HDB flat.

In october 2010, The New Paper partnered the Lions Befrienders Service ASsociation and Nee Ann Polytechnic (NP) to launch Project Helping Hands.

The aim was to install motion sensors and alarms in the homes of the elderly who live alone so that help can reach them in an emergency. The number of elderly people living alone is expected to increase to 83,000 by 2030 - up from 35,000 according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

The Elderly Monitoring System (EMS), developed by NP teachers and students, tracks a resident's movements and sends an SMS to a family member, caregiver or volunteer from Lions Befrienders, should it detect long bouts of inactivity. The occupant is also given a hand-held device with a button that he can press to send an alert. To fully realise the project's aim, Project Helping Hands worked with TNP readers to raise $1million for the project.

Lions Befrienders' divisional director for befriending services Michael Chua says this money was used to install 500 EMS devices and will cover maintenance costs for the next five years. Project Helping Hands also appealed for volunteers to adopt seniors living on their own.

Similiar to the EMS, the Housing Board (HDB) has been testing another sensor system that alerts caregivers when their elderly charges are in trouble. The Smart Elderly Monitoring and Alert System (Semas), developed by HDB and four other enterprises, was placed in 12 rental flats from June to November last year.


Thoughts:

1. Kudos to TNP for starting this project! I believe that there are many seniors who are living alone in the older estate, be it in purchased and rental flats and this idea can help to reduce occurrences of seniors who need help but could not get it in time!
2. One caution to note is that while such devices are useful, we should not forget the human touch that these seniors would need too! Social isolation is a real issue despite having this system.
3. Lastly, HDB should really consider putting this in the older rental flats for free. They can do the infrastructure set ups while the VWOs can help to manage the system and get the volunteers to come in and help the seniors in need. 
4. VWOs might not have the funds to do it; HDB might not have the manpower to service the seniors in need. I think this is a win win situation!

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big