As our parents and loved ones age, we might worry about their safety, their health, or their ability to live independently. Fortunately, a number of technology-based solutions exist today that can help us connect with our aging parents without intruding on their privacy. One option is to install a home monitoring system that can detect movement, falls, or other potentially dangerous events.

Ryan Herd invented a smart technology system that not only can detect potential yellow flags in a loved one’s home, such as keeping the stove on and leaving the house, but changes over time in daily routines, medication adherence and other activities of daily living. The system can send alerts via a phone app to concerned family members.

Of course, technology that monitors anyone’s activities might raise concerns about privacy. However, most of these systems are designed to be non-intrusive. They typically collect data only when necessary, and they can be configured to send alerts only to certain people. The benefits include giving everyone peace of mind, increased independence for loved ones, and reduced costs over long-term care. Ryan Herd will tell us how he became involved in this field, and show us what non-intrusive technology is out there.

Ryan Herd is the founder of Caregiver Smart Solutions, a TEDx speaker, patent holder, author of Join The Smart Home Revolution: Make Your Home Safe, Efficient, and More Fun and an Ironman. A serial entrepreneur, he’s made a name for himself in the field of smart technology. Through his suite of tools designed for caregivers, he seeks to improve the well-being of aging loved ones by empowering caregivers with non-invasive monitoring for health at home, and living in place.