Google's Nest division has been pitching ideas to senior living communities and experts to see if their products may help seniors maintain independence and be more safe.
Insiders tell CNBC that Nest's ideas include using motion sensors in hallways to turn on lights to help people get to the bathroom at night safely, and notifying residents if they're at risk of dehydration in excessive heat. There are also talks of using sensors to track movement changes or other anomalies known to precede a fall. "We have more and more older adults and proportionally fewer family members to take care of them," said Seth Sternberg, co-founder and CEO of a home care start-up called Honor, and a former Google product manager. "In-home devices really should come together with in-house services to dramatically reduce the cost of care to the elderly and the family-members who support them."
More than one million Americans live in assisted-living facilities today, a number that is expected to double by 2030 as the Baby Boomer generation ages. This demographic also has money to spend, which is why tech companies are looking at the space. CNBC has previously reported that Amazon is also considering technologies for "aging in place," which gives older Americans an opportunity to remain at home.
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