July 9, 2012

NBC chief medical editor Dr. Nancy Sneiderman visited an Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH) study participant in their home to learn more about the ground-breaking work that ORCATECH is doing to help seniors remain independent and healthy in their homes as long as possible.

An instrumented pillbox developed by Dr. Tamara Hayes of BME to better track and improve medication adherence, is just one of many technologies that ORCATECH maintains in the homes of more than 150 Portland area seniors. Dr. Hayes works with other ORCATECH investigators, including Neurology professor Jeffrey Kaye, BME professor Misha Pavel, and DMICE associate professor Holly Jimison to develop and evaluate the role of ambient technologies in allowing early detection of cognitive and motor decline. "The ultimate goal? Arming doctors and care givers with information a patient may not mention or remember."

View on video on NBC website: Gadgets that help seniors stay independent

Learn more about the Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH)