Reading Borough Council has begun a pilot in the use of remote monitoring technology using machine learning to support home care for vulnerable people.
Its adult social care team has deployed sensors from Lilli in a number of homes to track daily behaviour such as movement, bathroom activity, eating and drinking and nighttime activity, along with home temperatures.
The sensors feed data to a platform that uses machine learning to form a baseline of patterns and trends in daily life for individuals, deviations from which can be quickly identified through an app.
This helps social care providers to review the optimum level of care for each service user, and to spot potential problems and intervene if necessary.
Preference for independence
Cllr Paul Gittings, Reading’s lead member for adult social care, said: “Residents continue to tell us their preference is to live independently at home for as long as they are able to, including after they are discharged from hospital. As a result, the council has a ‘home first’ strategy in place and we are now keen to develop that further by piloting new technology which has real potential to enhance the quality of life and independence of vulnerable residents in our communities.
“This pilot project is helping the council to provide personalised and preventive services that empower individuals and their families.”
Nick Weston, chief commercial officer at Lilli, said the early stages of the project had generated 2,400 addition care hours and savings of £65,000.
