Homes get smarter. New technology a boon for stay-at-home seniors.

echnology will be at the forefront as service providers prepare for the baby boomer retirement wave. The 50+ population is the fastest-growing segment in the world, with a life expectancy of 78.2 years — a record high. According to The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Age Lab, every seven seconds an American turns 50. Persons, 87 percent of those 65 or older want to remain in their homes. This, of course, becomes harder to do as they become physically or mentally challenged with advancing age. “There is no question seniors prefer to remain at home,” said Majd Alwan, director of the Center for Aging Services Technologies in Washington, D.C. “Studies have shown seniors are willing to use technology if it allows them to maintain their own independence.” Fortunately, this specialized technology does exist. In fact, it is a rapidly developing market that provides a variety of “smart” computerized devices and sensors to monitor vital signs and physiological responses, detect falls and enable personal emergency response within the home.