Angle: Asia’s aging population, widespread introduction of “watching” technology | Reuters

[19thSingaporeThomsonReutersFoundation]- A 74-year-old man living in Singapore. Male caregivers were puzzled as his dementia progressed to the point where he would wander miles from his home until he was found. Technology companies have been pushing for the use of detachable GPS tags.

A caregiver installed a motion sensor in a room in a housing complex where a man lives. Surveillance cameras were also installed at the entrance so that the man could be seen even from a distance. The public housing also has six surveillance cameras in common areas to keep an eye on its elderly residents.

“By installing these devices, we can easily watch over the residents, and even if they fall or wander, we can immediately rush to them. Thanks to that, we can breathe a little more,” he said. A caregiver volunteer said. The volunteer requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to him.

Such surveillance technology is starting to become widespread in rapidly aging Asian countries such as Singapore.

Proponents of the introduction argue that technology helps keep vulnerable seniors safe. But experts warn that such devices are highly interfering and pose a data breach risk.

“Many of the devices intended for the elderly are installed under the pretext of ‘watching over’. The problem is that the elderly feel that they are being watched or that their privacy is being taken away,” he said. Han Ai Chu, senior researcher at the National University of Singapore points out.

“We also need to pay attention to data protection and privacy issues so that technology is not used to spy on seniors and their data is not used commercially,” said a researcher in technology and social issues.

The use of video “is aimed at reducing the burden on healthcare workers,” said Marou Toft, deputy Asia-Pacific director at video management software company Milestone Systems. The company was contracted to install the equipment in the housing complex where the aforementioned 74-year-old man lives.

He said the monitoring equipment “has ensured that the premises are well guarded and that abnormal situations such as falls or disappearances can be dealt with immediately.”

The United Nations reports that by 2050, one in four people living in the Asia-Pacific region will be over the age of 60, with severe social and economic impacts in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China and Thailand.

Smart home technology products such as cameras, robots, motion sensors and AI (artificial intelligence)-based speakers are being introduced to assist the elderly in their lives.

But many of these devices are designed for security and surveillance systems and could violate the rights of vulnerable people who don’t understand how they work, critics say.

“Such gadgets are a new source of concern for seniors who may not be familiar with smart home products,” said Yolandi Strengers, professor of electronic technology and society at Australia’s Monash University.

“Older people tend to be more vulnerable to personal data breaches or don’t understand how their personal data is being used,” he said, exposing them to many risks, from spam ads to fraud. It is said that

By 2050, the world population of people aged 65 and over is expected to double to 1.6 billion.

In Japan, which has the highest aging rate in the world, the government is supporting the development of nursing care robots for the elderly. There are also dog-shaped and seal-shaped ones that look like stuffed animals, and they take care of areas that caregivers can’t reach, such as talking to them, monitoring users and helping them move.

Japan also has the largest proportion of the population with dementia, the number one cause of falls and disappearances. Cities are installing WiFi sensors on the streets that can track the whereabouts of seniors with dementia.

In South Korea, the smart speaker “Nugu” launched in 2019 by telecommunications giant SK Telecom has been distributed to 76 local governments and welfare facilities as a “social safety net,” reaching more than 14,000 people1. It is used by elderly people who live alone.

Similar to Amazon’s Alexa, the speaker can answer questions, play music, make phone calls, and offer games and quizzes to improve the cognitive skills of seniors.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has used the speakers to play infection control tips, healthy cooking recipes and uplifting music recommendations.

Ambulance crews have so far rescued more than 300 elderly people using the speaker’s SOS function.

According to an SK Telecom spokesperson, AI analyzes the content of conversations between elderly users and speakers. Based on keywords such as “loneliness” and “happiness”, the user’s mental state is measured and the accuracy of the device is improved.

“Users understand that usage pattern information is collected and consent is required to use the service,” the spokesperson explained.

In Singapore, the government bears the cost of introducing equipment for the elderly. Domestic companies are working on several projects to develop technology that will allow AI to scrutinize video and audio to detect falls and people in need of help.

In this situation, Mr. Chu said, “Especially for surveillance technology, it is important to have detailed information and understand when to turn off the power before deciding to introduce it.”

But some families find such discussions impossible.

Lim, 74, installed surveillance cameras in her mother’s home to watch over her 96-year-old mother, who has dementia and has fallen twice.

“At first, my mother said, ‘I want privacy. Please don’t put up surveillance cameras.’ said Lim. To protect her privacy, she only gave her last name when interviewed.

Lim, who also lives alone, installed a motion sensor in his apartment several years ago. If no movement is detected, the system will automatically send a phone call to confirm the status.

If you don’t respond or call for help, your caregiver and device service provider will be alerted. The latter will either contact Lim again or call an ambulance.

“It’s reassuring to know that someone is watching over me and calling me to make sure I’m okay,” Lim said.

“There is a shortage of caregivers, and young people are no longer caring for their aging family members. These companies are filling the void.”