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One in three people will be elderly in Hong Kong by 2034

Hong Kong, like many countries around the world, has a rapidly aging population, and the Government is concerned. According to the Research Office of the Legislative Council Secretariat, in 2015, there were about 1.12 million people aged 65 or above in Hong Kong, translating to one in six people being an elderly person. This figure is estimated to rise to 2.28 million by 2034, meaning the ratio will be a staggering one in three. As a result, the amount of elderly people residing at care homes is only set to grow, and with the acute shortage of caregivers, there is great need for fail-safe, easy-to-operate, anti-wandering solutions to keep track of elderly persons at these facilities so they remain safe and less likely to cause harm to themselves. This is particularly important for those suffering from dementia, which is also seeing a worrying increase in cases.

Traditional anti-wandering solutions – basic, costly over the long run and not fail-safe

Anti-wandering systems have been available on the market for many years now. You can find detachable wearable devices, basic motion sensors, and simple door and window alarms. Though these methods do allow for caregivers to be alerted to any person attempting to leave the facility, they are by no means fail-safe – wearable devices can be removed, alarms may be triggered accidentally, etc. On top of this, they provide little or no additional information to staff, and there are recurring administrative and operational costs associated with these methods, such as the need to replace wearable devices as their function deteriorates over time.

Smart Guard anti-wandering solution – advanced, cost-effective and reliable

Through the first ever Gerontech and Innovation Expo cum Summit (GIES) hosted in Hong Kong in 2017, the Government has expressed its strong support for the use of technology to address the challenges of an aging population.

Guardforce is the first company ever in Hong Kong to apply the Smart Guard solution in elderly care facilities to monitor access points and prevent elderly residents from wandering off the premises unaccompanied. It represents a significant breakthrough over traditional anti-wandering measures by using advanced facial recognition technology integrated with CCTV surveillance systems to control entry and exit points in a non-intrusive yet reliable way.

When Smart Guard detects a pre-defined subject near an exit monitored by the facility’s CCTV system, caregivers will receive an instant alert. The list of subjects to be identified is easily and quickly updated on the system, significantly reducing administrative and operational costs. It also eliminates the use of traditional wearable devices (which can be uncomfortable to wear) or other basic door and window alarm systems used to prevent wandering, thereby solving the security issues and ongoing costs connected with these methods.

On top of this, Smart Guard is a multi-purpose solution with the added advantage of being able to record entry and exit times, attendance, and any person accompanying an elderly resident on and off the site.

For RCHEs, this all translates to a more cost-effective and reliable system to prevent wandering cases so accidents are reduced, and administrative and operational costs are lowered. For caregivers, they will be able to receive instant alerts enabling them to provide immediate support to their elderly residents, and their workload and stress can be alleviated. For residents, their chances of having an accident are reduced, and they can enjoy freedom from the discomfort caused by wearable devices. And for families of elderly residents, they can enjoy peace of mind that their loved ones are safe and secure.

In recognition for its innovation and commitment to helping RCHEs keep their residents safe through the Smart Guard system, Guardforce was awarded the “Innovation and Creativity Certificate of Merit” at the 2017 Hong Kong Awards for Industries. 

To learn more about how Guardforce Hong Kong is using facial recognition to enhance security systems, see our post on How Does Facial Recognition Work With Electronic Security Systems?

Photo Edited By: Hypabeez Media