Jul 09, 2019
How Theora Care Remote Monitoring Technology Keeps an Active Person Active, and a Family Connected and Informed

At Clairvoyant, we talk a lot about remote monitoring technology in our efforts to keep bringing useful and affordable solutions to caregivers and care recipients. But what really makes us happy is when our customers tell us how it has helped them, as well as give us feedback on how we can make it better.

Every caregiving situation is unique – some people simply need a little added support to know a family member, friend or care client is doing fine – whether in the same home, across town, or across country. Some family members have been diagnosed with memory loss, Alzheimer’s or dementia and need some extra oversight so that they can still enjoy their independence while living in their home of choice, with family or professional caregivers knowing their status, location and be able to check-in if needed. We have met families who have loved ones on the Autism Spectrum. Using Theora® remote monitoring technology, a young man enjoys more independence by being gainfully employed, enabling his parents  to pursue their careers knowing where he is, how he is, and can communicate with him if needed. For care recipients with a tendency to wander, simple and affordable technology to let family or professional caregivers know when a person leaves a specific area is crucial to helping ensure their safety.  Their situations may be different, but the additional support and peace of mind provided through privacy-protecting (no video), useful and affordable remote monitoring technology is similar. We’d like to share one of their stories with you, about a very special and active person named Elba, who would keep many of us on our toes!

Elba is and always has been a very busy person. Elba is 86 years old and with her husband she raised seven children, all born within a nine-year period. She now lives with one of her sons, Eric, who accompanies her for daily two-mile walks, sometimes twice daily. Elba has many interests and hobbies as well, including a love for music. She plays guitar and performs once a month. Every day, she visits her favorite grocery store. In addition, Elba has a very full weekly social schedule. On Mondays and Thursdays, she attends her local adult activity center. On Wednesdays, she attends an exercise class, then visits her daughter in Davis, CA for dinner, guitar playing and singing. On Fridays and Sundays, she attends classes and services at her church. She spends Saturdays with her 90-year-old sister-in-law, going for walks in the park, practicing Tai Chi, eating Thai food at her favorite restaurant, and looking at family photos and home movies. Her schedule is busy enough to make most of us feel exhausted just reading about it!

Yes, Elba is an active person, so when she was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s her family didn’t want this to slow her down. Her children and extended family wanted to find a way to support her active lifestyle while knowing where she was, that she was okay, and be able to check in on her if necessary.  Even though Elba lives with one of her children, in a rare spare moment she has been known to take a walk  unattended to her neighborhood grocery store. This is very concerning to her children given the store is located at a very busy intersection.

Technology Creates a Connected Care Team

The family went online to look for solutions that could help them track their mother’s whereabouts and found even more than anticipated.  Her son Charles discovered Clairvoyant Network’s line of Theora Care™ remote monitoring solutions. The Theora Connect wristwatch-style wearable is worn by Elba, while other family members have downloaded the accompanying Theora Link smartphone app. The wearable – similar to a GPS tracking device for Alzheimer’s patients but with more communication functionality – contains an integrated pre-activated cellular device, so Elba does not have to remember to carry a phone, she simply puts on her watch. Using the free smartphone app connected to Elba’s wearable, not only do her children know where their mother is, they can support her busy schedule by setting up multiple Safe Zone GPS geofences for notification of wandering, call her directly, or use the Quik Connect™ 2-way audio feature in the event she cannot or does not answer the wearable’s phone. When Elba occasionally “bolts”, as her family lovingly refers to Elba’s solo walks, her children can easily track her whereabouts.  With easily pre-programmed Safe Zones, her children are notified when she leaves the safe area unattended with a notification is sent to her primary caregiver, and the siblings coordinate to go “rescue” her before a more serious situation can occur. If there were an emergency, with Quik Connect Elba would still hear the familiar and reassuring voice of her children come through to check in or inform her that help is on the way. There is also an easy to locate SOS button on the wristwatch-style wearable that Elba can push to automatically dial her son.   Her children can even review the historical data via their Theora Link smartphone app to find out if there have been any changes in regular Elba’s activity pattern that may require further attention.

The Theora Link free smartphone app can be downloaded by multiple trusted family members, which is exactly what Elba’s family did. Elba’s son Charles lives in Sacramento, and her daughter Marlene in Grapevine, Texas. Using the smartphone app, not only can Marlene contact her mother through the wearable’s integrated cellular support, she can tell by using the app where her mother is likely to be doing based upon her location (which could be one of many places with Elba’s schedule!). Charles’ primary use of the app is that he receives a text alert if his Mom goes for an unaccompanied walk. If Elba has wandered, Charles and his brother Eric, who lives with Elba but doesn’t drive,  quickly arrange to go pick her up before she gets close to a busy intersection.

Elba’s son Charles asked us if an even shorter range geofence might be coming down the pike because GPS is not always as effective as it is in outdoor locations. And guess what, now there is! The Theora Quik Alert™  indoor wandering solution was just introduced, allowing for immediate text notifications when the care recipient wanders in an indoor locationsuch as home, out at a busy mall or store, or any indoor location with Wi-Fi present.

Using Theora Care remote monitoring technology, Elba’s family can easily know where she is and what she’s doing.For them, knowing their mother is safe is invaluable. Enjoying a higher quality of life and keeping busy – with a little unobtrusive oversight – is perfect for the lifestyle Elba desires. If Elba and her family should need more monitoring connectivity for her over time, Theora offers a complete line of interoperable and easy to use technology for their entire care journey. But for now, Elba and her family are enjoying a wide variety of activities and loving family connections, living life to the fullest.