Page 264 - Handbook of Electronic Assistive Technology

Chapter 8 • Assisted Living 253

live worthwhile lives. The proviso is that a personalised assessment tool along with per-
sonalised smart technology are embedded in the system from the beginning. The use of
telecare and telehealth as peripheral devices to support people is a useful addition to the
repertoire; however, the system is required to initially be smart and have the ability to
modify and be personalised for each person in the assisted living complex. In addition,
staff members are required to support the person, just as the technology is designed to
support them. Through the interaction of support and technology the person can become
more independent and have a greater potential to live a longer and happier life.
The design of assisted living spaces should embrace seven qualities as follows
(Dewsbury et al., 2003):
• Stakeholder identification.
• Budgetary constraints.
• Accessibility.
• External spaces.
• Time and contacts.
• The residential structure.
• Technology system specification.

Thus currently, designs of assisted living environments must be bespoke to embrace
the needs and wishes of the potential users, and they are required to be flexible to those
needs, which might require agile change as the requirements change. Linskell and Hill
(2010) suggest that there are five further attributes to consider, namely:

1� Adaptability:
a� Infrastructure – easy to reposition or incorporate additional sensors, control
devices and reporting devices.
b� Configuration – easy to alter the relationship between system devices.
2� Tiered alert management system – multiple, adjustable alert levels for each service
user.
3� Ease of use and flexibility:
a� Simple and intuitive interface.
b� Easy control of which alerts were active.
c� Inhibition of individual alerts without disabling activation of the source signal.
4� Real-time visual reporting – easy-to-interpret, real-time reporting of service user
activity.
5� Mobile user interfaces – easy-to-use mobile devices for monitoring, remote control
and communication.

Assisted living has the potential to be as near perfect as residential spaces can become
given today’s logistical limitations. In the future, technology should become more person
centred, and offer greater ability to provide bespoke user-focused support that extends
beyond alerts and taking medical measurements. This should be by providing comfort and
support as well as the ability to contact other people virtually from the comfort of wherever