Frequently Asked Questions About Senior Monitoring

That is one of the primary advantages of camera-based monitoring. The resident does not need to understand what is happening, press any buttons, or wear any device. A caregiver simply holds a phone or tablet in front of them for thirty seconds during routine interaction. Residents with advanced dementia who refuse wearables or become agitated by blood pressure cuffs can be monitored consistently for the first time.

Daily vitals tracking creates a baseline health profile for each resident. When subtle changes appear in heart rate, HRV, or oxygen levels over consecutive days, clinical staff can intervene early with care plan adjustments rather than waiting for an acute event that triggers an emergency transfer. Many transfers originate from conditions that could have been caught earlier with consistent daily monitoring.

Circadify uses remote photoplethysmography, or rPPG, which detects the tiny changes in skin color caused by blood flowing through vessels beneath the surface. These changes are invisible to the human eye but readable by a standard phone or tablet camera. The technology extracts heart rate, heart rate variability, stress indicators, and blood oxygen level estimates from this optical signal.

Any modern smartphone or tablet with a front-facing camera is sufficient. There is no specialized hardware to purchase, install, or maintain. Many programs designate a single tablet as their screening device, while home health agencies have aides use their existing work phones during visits.

A complete scan takes approximately thirty seconds of the senior sitting naturally in front of the camera. Including setup and result review, the entire process takes under one minute per resident. This makes it feasible to screen an entire assisted living wing during morning rounds without disrupting existing schedules.

All vitals processing happens entirely on the device using on-device rPPG technology. Health readings are not transmitted to external servers during the scan. Data stays on the device where the scan was performed. Your organization retains full control over how and where resident health information is stored and shared according to your existing data governance policies.