ABSTRACT
One aspect of quality of life (QoL) is having the §exibility and freedom (i.e., personal control) over where to live. Thus, an example of QoL technology is in-home sensing that supports aging in the home of choice. This is often called aging in place, in reference to the strong preference of older adults to stay in their own homes rather than move to an assisted living or skilled nursing facility [Rantz et al., 2005a]. This chapter offers an example of QoL technology in the form of sensing and data analysis methods that support aging in place through the detection of early signs of illness and functional decline. Through early detection, while health problems are still small, interventions can be offered more effectively to hold off drastic declines in health conditions and functional well-being.
