Aged-care - privacy and security of the Smart Home

Most developed countries are experiencing unprecedented increases in the percentages of older people. The Australian population 65 years and over is projected to more than double by 2050. The greatest rate of growth is in the population aged 85 years or over. This group will have the greatest need for health and disability support. It is not only the increasing numbers of people requiring care in the future but also social changes that will increase pressures on aged care and health services. The level of informal care that was provided for frail aged family members some decades ago is less viable today. Governments have responded with a range of strategies and policy initiatives such as abolition of the compulsory retirement age, promoting productive ageing and enhancing the capacity for home-based care. There is particular interest in technology to assist active ageing and aged care to enable extending active and productive lives and facilitate care to be delivered according to consumer preferences for place and time. These changes will reflect the impacts of technologies that have transformed other industries, enabled new products and services and provided delivery at the convenience of the consumer. There will be many opportunities for new and imaginative research. Research is needed to guide changes that will be required in policy, strategy, funding, work-practices, integration of technology into care, future roles for the professions and new models of care. The introduction of new technology in home and aged care settings raises concern over privacy and security. This paper will consider how research into policy, strategy, work practices and the integration of technology into care, and the subsequent new models of care to support this, will need to take into account such concerns. For example, how far does the idea of the Smart Home invade one’s privacy? Are current security measures adequate to prevent violation of our most vulnerable people? Consider the consequences of online banking in the home and the number of incidences of phishing account details - will the techno-savvy be able to determine movements of people around their home? This presentation will give an overview of the age care dependence on technology and what we should be doing to protect them by way of policy, and work practice