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What about elder care? Don’t fall detection and monitoring changes in blood pressure or heart rate that may lead to a fall. Not sure why these aren’t standard k

What about elder care? Don’t fall detection and monitoring changes in blood pressure or heart rate that may lead to a fall. Not sure why these aren’t standard kit for all seniors homes.

crooked-v 6y ago
The next version of the Apple Watch is also probably going to include blood oxygen level monitoring with the ability to alert users if it drops below a healthy level, similar to the existing min/max heart rate alerts. Though, really, I think the biggest benefit of wearables expanding into this space is that they're not 'old people products' like Life Alert. A generally healthy 60-year-old person who doesn't want to 'seem old' is going to be far more comfortable wearing an Apple Watch or similar device, and far more likely to do so consistently.
- DoingIsLearning 6y ago
  > The next version of the Apple Watch is also probably going to include blood oxygen level monitoring with the ability to alert users if it drops below a healthy level, similar to the existing min/max heart rate alerts. Ok but this is clearly well past just a "wellness" device, if they are providing these features with these claims, are they going to certify it as a "Medical Device" ? Will they submit it through FDA/CE approval ?
  - crooked-v 6y ago
    > Will they submit it through FDA/CE approval ? I find that extremely doubtful.
abawany 6y ago
The lack of fall detection in smartwatches other that AW4+ is a bit baffling. Garmin has an implementation but it only works during activities and not generally afaik. I got the AW4 for a parent primarily for the fall detection.
walshemj 6y ago
Not sure SW can do BP monitoring yet otherwise hospitals would have switched to them for doing patient OBS. That's the regular checking of BP /Pulse temps etc done in hospitals if our on 4h getting woken in the middle of the night sucks.
- marc__1 6y ago
  It will likely be a combination of HW and SW. Apple is constantly filling patents that are related to that. See for instance: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=10,646,121&OS=10,646,121&RS=10,646,121 http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=H...
Broken_Hippo 6y ago
Perhaps this is good for someone that is generally healthy and perhaps for folks that stay in assisted living (not sure what the qualifacations are). We'd need more information, though: How often do changes in blood pressure lead to falls compared to other causes? Is it worth the cost and does it save more lives than other sorts of alerts? This certainly isn't a good fit for a nursing home. First off, you have general health issues, like thinning skin that tears and cuts easily paired with folks that are in declining health and may or may not have good control of their limbs. Psychological issues and things like dementia is going to make this more difficult as well. One horrible scenario is finding the device covered in feces, since some folks, as their minds degrade, handle their own feces. And I'd hate to have to fight with someone daily to put the device on (other folks won't care).Of course, if your nursing home is staffed well with folks that do their jobs, it probably won't make a difference.
Palomides 6y ago
because anything that serves a medical purpose immediately enters a labyrinth of regulation and liability a company that isn't already doing medical devices will be extremely hesitant in approaching any of that

What about elder care? Don’t fall detection and monitoring changes in blood pressure or heart rate that may lead to a fall. Not sure why these aren’t standard kit for all seniors homes.

crooked-v 6y ago

The next version of the Apple Watch is also probably going to include blood oxygen level monitoring with the ability to alert users if it drops below a healthy level, similar to the existing min/max heart rate alerts. Though, really, I think the biggest benefit of wearables expanding into this space is that they're not 'old people products' like Life Alert. A generally healthy 60-year-old person who doesn't want to 'seem old' is going to be far more comfortable wearing an Apple Watch or similar device, and far more likely to do so consistently.

DoingIsLearning 6y ago
> The next version of the Apple Watch is also probably going to include blood oxygen level monitoring with the ability to alert users if it drops below a healthy level, similar to the existing min/max heart rate alerts. Ok but this is clearly well past just a "wellness" device, if they are providing these features with these claims, are they going to certify it as a "Medical Device" ? Will they submit it through FDA/CE approval ?
- crooked-v 6y ago
  > Will they submit it through FDA/CE approval ? I find that extremely doubtful.

abawany 6y ago

The lack of fall detection in smartwatches other that AW4+ is a bit baffling. Garmin has an implementation but it only works during activities and not generally afaik. I got the AW4 for a parent primarily for the fall detection.

walshemj 6y ago

Not sure SW can do BP monitoring yet otherwise hospitals would have switched to them for doing patient OBS. That's the regular checking of BP /Pulse temps etc done in hospitals if our on 4h getting woken in the middle of the night sucks.

marc__1 6y ago
It will likely be a combination of HW and SW. Apple is constantly filling patents that are related to that. See for instance: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=10,646,121&OS=10,646,121&RS=10,646,121 http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=H...

Broken_Hippo 6y ago

Perhaps this is good for someone that is generally healthy and perhaps for folks that stay in assisted living (not sure what the qualifacations are). We'd need more information, though: How often do changes in blood pressure lead to falls compared to other causes? Is it worth the cost and does it save more lives than other sorts of alerts? This certainly isn't a good fit for a nursing home. First off, you have general health issues, like thinning skin that tears and cuts easily paired with folks that are in declining health and may or may not have good control of their limbs. Psychological issues and things like dementia is going to make this more difficult as well. One horrible scenario is finding the device covered in feces, since some folks, as their minds degrade, handle their own feces. And I'd hate to have to fight with someone daily to put the device on (other folks won't care).Of course, if your nursing home is staffed well with folks that do their jobs, it probably won't make a difference.

Palomides 6y ago

because anything that serves a medical purpose immediately enters a labyrinth of regulation and liability a company that isn't already doing medical devices will be extremely hesitant in approaching any of that