Continuous automated telecare assessment of the elderly.

An automated scheme is proposed to assess the ability of elderly people to live alone in the community. It employs an Enhanced Activities of Daily Living index based on a computerized questionnaire form. In addition, a number of low-cost sensors have been developed which provide electronic measures of certain activities; these can provide additional inputs to the assessment form using telemetry. The sensors are capable of measuring a wide range of functional performance, thus providing the means of continuously and objectively assessing a patient's condition following hospitalization.