Smart home sensors could extend independence in dementia care

UK researchers are testing in-home dementia care tech in an NHS trial led by the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London. Jyoti and Bharat Patel live in a sensor-packed home where door, movement, kitchen, and sleep data are gathered via devices including a smart mattress, socks and a watch to help clinicians spot early health changes, support independence, and reduce hospital visits. The programme costs about £2,000 per year and does not record audio or video, aiming to balance privacy with better care; if scaled up, it could affect nearly a million people living with dementia in the UK.