Page 23 - Green Builder Magazine May-June 2019 Issue

Softer Landings VOCAL ADVOCATE
Here’s where voice-activated technology, in my view, €nally €nds
utility. I’ve written critically about voice control in the past, which,
Low High for the able-bodied, often represents a step backward in eƒciency—
and still lacks a genuine commitment to personal privacy. Tech
companies are only now beginning to see the “white space” in the
Cork senior market.
That’s because, according to Aging in Place Technology Watch,
most new tech goes through a cycle of “Hype, Disruption and
Adoption” that ignores the senior market. In fact, the push has been
Carpet to engage millennials almost exclusively, because they’re considered
the easiest sell—although the big sell is “fun,” not need.
In the world of seniors, however, voice control can improve lives.
Amazon Alexa, Google Home or Apple HomePod are poised to become
part of the invisible mesh of the ALT house, with regular listening
Lineoleum
stations at key intervals.
Voice controls can not only give the resident access to the home’s
systems, they can create instant “portals” to the outside world—to
Best bounce. In studies of family, friends and emergency aid— addressing feelings of isolation.
Laminate impact absorption, natural Research shows, however, that it’s still important to retain a backup
cork floors offer the best
SOURCE: CORKTECH.NET Ceramics performance. Other materials, can accomplish the same goals.
method of connection: an oversized tablet or other touch device that
however, could accomplish
Also, the issue of privacy looms especially large in this aspect of
similar results, with the right
ALT. The smart tech industry continues to bulldoze its way past pri-
backings and material
vacy concerns, intent on evermore-intrusive harvesting of individuals’
thicknesses.
information. Consider this prediction from Aging in Place: “Moving
forward, pro€les are likely to become more robust, linking across en-
impact absorption notes that many other ooring materials perform vironments like health and travel records and preferences that extend
much better in fall situations than vinyl tiles. The study recommends beyond ‘Would you like to book the trip?’ to a deeper examination of
di erent, softer materials for di erent uses. Researchers note that, preferences that can launch a follow-on set of questions.”
to date, cork is the number one candidate, because it meets their That sounds a lot like
four elder housing criteria: function, economy, sensibility and the same playbook that
sustainability. For bedrooms, they suggest rubber, wool and nylon has Cambridge Analytica
carpets. To avoid increased risk of falling, deep-pile carpets should facing a class-action law-
be avoided, in favor of low-pile carpets. suit.
Of course, to be “helpful” to seniors, the house also has to make Until the tech indus-
priority activities easy: adjusting temperatures, turning lights on and try stops promising
o , locking doors and so on. Depending on the cognitive and physical that owning our souls
condition of the resident, these features can be partially automated. will help serve us bet-
ter, they risk a backlash
of tech rejection from Backup plan. GrandPad offers an example of
Deadly Drops users. Voice tech for the type of backup technology that can be
seniors holds promise, incorporated into ALT as an alternative to voice
Falls are the leading cause of death from but nobody wants to be control.
injury among people 65 and older. pro€led and categorized. Don’t think it can’t happen. New data
about online browsing €nds that three out of four people now
■ Approximately 9,500 deaths in older Americans are associated reject any and all “cookies” from websites they visit, and VPN
■
with falls each year. software sales are booming.
■ More than half of all fatal falls involve people age 75 or over. What’s needed is an ALT approach that puts privacy €rst, period.
■
■ Among people aged 65 to 69, one out of every 200 falls results in The whole point of ALT is to make people feel safe, ful€lled and
■ a hip fracture. That number increases to one out of every 10 independent in their homes. ALT can extend the time when they can
SOURCE: SHELLPOINT.ORG ■ ■ One-fourth of seniors who fracture a hip from a fall will die within live “at home” without caregivers—but should not prey upon them
for those aged 85 and older.
as unwitting participants in building and selling data to marketers,
insurers and scam artists.
six months of the injury.
www.greenbuildermedia.com May/June 2019 GREEN BUILDER 21

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