Construction is underway for the new Smartment building located on the LSS Campus. The 14 unit complex is the newest alternative to remaining independent, using technology to improve the quality of life by preventing costly hospitalizations and emergency department visits while respecting resident privacy.

JAMESTOWN, NY — On track for completion in the fall, Lutheran Social Services will open a new senior living apartment building with a specialized technology to help seniors live more independently.

The technology would also ease the mind of family members who while not present, would be alerted to possible medical problems indicated by changes in their loved ones' basic routines.

LSS President and CEO Tom Holt says the agency is one of the first in the state to use this technology, adding that apartments will serve as an "incubator" with the long-term applications to peoples to peoples homes in the community.

Holt adds, "What we learned with home-based technology is we could keep people in their homes a lot longer, which is what everyone would prefer to do."

According to LSS Director of Marketing, Patricia Eckwahl, the technology uses small unobtrusive motion detectors strategically placed in the home to track important daily activities such as preparing meals, sleep patterns, and medication management.

The motion detection system is designed to analyze patterns of activity surrounding an individual’s normal routine.

Within a few days, the system "learns" the typical pattern of behavior. In doing so, early changes in behavior are detected, with the goal of averting more serious issues, and prevention of costly hospital stays, higher levels of care or acute incidents.

Data gathered from the sensors is available through the Internet to a password-protected system that allows family members to check the status of their loved ones.

Eckwahl adds "a family can watch from Florida, going to a secure website and to see how Mom or Dad are doing."

Significant behavior change signals an alert to a designated person who can then check on the individual.

Normal routine is noted by a green light, Holt explains. Yellow means something is trending (for instance, an elderly person might be getting up more than usual in the middle of the night) and that the person should be checked.

A red light would indicate that there has been no activity within a 1/2 hour, indicating a possible fall or other problem. In that case, Holt says, a call would automatically be placed.

"What we learned is that simple interventions could prevent hospitalizations by catching problems sooner." And for seniors, like others who may be concerned about privacy, Holt says, "It's not a camera watching you."

With 10,000 people in this country turning 65 each day, the technology also helps solve the problem of a smaller number of caregivers for a growing number of seniors.

This and other projects on the LSS campus were made possible through funds from HEAL NY, the Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law of New York State.

HEAL represents a partnership between the federal government and the state health care community with the goals of reducing health care costs and decreasing the number of inpatient beds, among other objectives.

LSS has been successful in three applications for HEAL NY Grants. The last of these grants allowed LSS to establish the 14 unit independent living apartment with home based monitoring technology.

Other monies acquired from HEAL established Warner Place, a medical model adult day health care program for people who need nursing home care, but have a support system so they can remain in their homes, as well as the expansion of Hultquist Place.

According to Holt, application procedures for the new independent living apartment and requirements for residents are still being determined. For more information on this and all the programs of the Lutheran Social Services, go to www.lutheran-jamestown.org or call Patricia Eckwahl at (716) 720-9122.