“Smart Homes” for Patients at the End of Life

Abstract

Smart homes are residential settings equipped with sensors and other devices that enable the monitoring of residents, aiming to improve residents' quality of life and support their independence. Numerous initiatives worldwide have been developed to explore the use of motion sensors, radio frequency sensors, video cameras, wearable devices, and other applications that target older adults. As people approach the end of their lives, such settings may have the potential to support quality of life. This article presents existing smart home applications and discusses their potential for home hospice patients and their families. The concept of obtrusiveness of home technologies is reviewed and ethical considerations are discussed, such as a potential over-reliance on automation, the “medicalization” of the home environment (which may turn the residential setting into a “de-facto intensive care unit”), issues of privacy and security, and the challenge of informed consent for residents.