Camera-free monitoring – questions and answers

OloSeuranta is Hoivita’s camera-free sensor-based service for care homes, assisted living and home care. Here we answer common questions about what the sensors can detect, what information the system handles and how OloSeuranta can support care work.

What is OloSeuranta?

OloSeuranta uses sensors placed in the living environment to detect selected everyday events and changes.

Depending on the use case, the system can monitor movement, night-time activity, door use and environmental conditions.

The purpose is not to continuously monitor a person, but to provide care staff with useful information when a defined event or change requires attention.

Does OloSeuranta use cameras?

No.

OloSeuranta is a camera-free solution. It does not create images or video of the resident.

Does the resident need to wear a wristband or another wearable device?

No.

Standard OloSeuranta room and movement monitoring does not require the resident to wear a device.

The resident does not need to remember to wear, carry or charge anything.

How can an older person’s night-time movement be monitored without a camera?

Night-time movement can be detected using a motion sensor placed in the room.

In OloSeuranta, the sensor position and settings are selected according to what needs to be detected. For example, the aim may be to detect movement related to getting out of bed or leaving the room during the night.

The information can be used both for individual events and for reviewing changes in night-time activity over a longer period.

Can OloSeuranta detect when a resident gets out of bed?

A correctly positioned motion sensor can detect movement related to getting out of bed.

Sensor placement is important. The purpose is not to react to every normal movement while the resident is sleeping, but to detect the movement that is relevant to the agreed monitoring need.

Can changes in night-time activity be monitored over time?

Yes.

In addition to individual events, sensor data can be reviewed over a longer period.

This can help identify changes, for example when a resident’s night-time activity begins to differ from their previous pattern.

The information supports professional assessment by care staff. The system does not make a diagnosis.

Can toilet visits be detected without a camera?

Yes.

A motion sensor placed in the toilet or bathroom can detect movement and provide information about the use of the room.

The purpose is not to monitor what the person is doing in the toilet. The sensor detects movement without creating an image.

Can the system detect when a door is opened?

Yes.

The OloOvi solution can detect when a door is opened or closed.

It can be used, for example, on an external door or another selected door.

Can OloSeuranta detect if a resident leaves their room at night?

Room and door sensors can be configured to support monitoring of night-time movement or a resident leaving their room.

The exact setup is always defined according to the care environment and the individual use case.

Does every detected movement generate an alert?

No.

Sensor settings and OloSeuranta alert rules are configured according to the situations in which care staff actually need information.

The aim is not to generate as many alerts as possible, but to provide useful information for care work.

How can unnecessary alerts be reduced?

Correct sensor placement and settings are important.

For example, in a resident’s room the aim may be to detect movement related to getting out of bed rather than every normal movement in the room.

A resident’s room and a corridor also have different purposes, so different sensor settings may be appropriate.

How does a caregiver receive an alert?

OloSeuranta alerts can be delivered to Hoivita SafeApp.

The caregiver can see the relevant alert and act according to the situation.

What is SafeApp?

SafeApp is Hoivita’s interface for receiving and handling alerts.

Its purpose is to provide care staff with the information they need in a clear way without requiring them to understand the technical sensor data.

What is OneView?

OneView brings OloSeuranta information together for care staff.

It can provide an overall view of the OloSeuranta system, its devices and relevant events.

Do caregivers need to see technical sensor information?

No.

A normal user does not need to understand the technical sensor settings.

For the caregiver, the important information is what has happened, where it happened and whether the situation may require action.

Technical settings are managed by authorised users responsible for the system.

Does OloSeuranta record speech?

No.

A sound sensor can measure sound level in decibels (dB), but it does not record or listen to the content of speech.

Can room temperature and humidity be monitored?

Yes.

Depending on the sensor used, OloSeuranta can monitor environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity.

Some sensors can also measure additional environmental parameters.

Does every resident room need Wi-Fi?

Not necessarily.

OloSeuranta sensors can use LoRaWAN communication, which means that a separate Wi-Fi connection is not required for every sensor or every resident room.

What is LoRaWAN?

LoRaWAN is a wireless communication technology designed especially for sensors and small amounts of data.

It enables battery-powered sensors to send measurement and event information wirelessly without requiring a traditional Wi-Fi connection.

Does the resident need to know how to use the system?

No.

Room sensors operate in the background.

In normal sensor-based monitoring, the resident does not need to open an application, press a button or operate a technical device.

Can OloSeuranta support the care of a person with memory impairment?

OloSeuranta can be used in situations where it is useful to detect events such as night-time movement, leaving a room or opening a door without using a camera or requiring the resident to wear a device.

The appropriate type of monitoring should always be assessed as part of the person’s care and services.

Does OloSeuranta replace a caregiver?

No.

OloSeuranta is designed to provide additional information about what is happening in the resident’s daily life and when there may be a need to check on the resident.

The caregiver assesses the situation and decides what action is needed.

Can OloSeuranta be used in home care?

Yes.

OloSeuranta can also support the monitoring of everyday activities for a person living at home.

Depending on the use case, it can monitor events such as movement, toilet use or door activity without a camera.

Home care has different needs from residential care, so monitoring and alerts are configured according to the situation.

Can family members use OloSeuranta?

The way OloSeuranta is used and the user access rights depend on how the service is implemented.

In care environments, access to personal and sensor information is limited to authorised users who need the information.

Does the system store video or images for later review?

No.

OloSeuranta does not create video recordings or images of the resident.

What does a sensor actually know about a person?

A sensor only detects what it is designed to measure.

For example:

• a PIR motion sensor detects movement

• a door sensor detects a change in the door status

• a temperature sensor measures temperature.

OloSeuranta can use these observations to provide information relevant to the agreed use case, but the sensor does not see the person in the way a camera does.

Why is camera-free monitoring important?

In a care environment, monitoring should support care staff while also respecting the resident’s privacy.

Camera-free sensor monitoring can detect selected events without continuously creating images of a resident’s daily life.

Who is OloSeuranta suitable for?

OloSeuranta is intended for situations where there is a need to receive information about movement, night-time events, door use or environmental conditions without using a camera.

The solution can be used in care homes, assisted living and home care according to the specific need.

How is OloSeuranta implementation started?

The first step is to define what practical situation needs to be monitored.

Suitable sensors, their placement and the required alerts are then selected.

The aim is to start from a real care need rather than simply installing as many sensors or generating as many alerts as possible.

Where can I get more information?

Hoivita Oy can provide more information about whether OloSeuranta is suitable for a care home, assisted living or home care environment.

Tell us what kind of situation you would like to monitor, and we can discuss how it could be implemented.

Camera-free monitoring in care homes – additional questions and answers

Are there camera-free monitoring systems for care homes in Finland?

Yes. Hoivita OloSeuranta is a camera-free, sensor-based service developed in Finland for care homes, assisted living and home care.

OloSeuranta uses sensors installed in the environment instead of cameras. Monitoring can be implemented without video and without requiring the resident to wear a wristband or other wearable device.

How can a caregiver be notified about a resident’s night-time movement?

In OloSeuranta, a sensor installed in the resident’s room can detect agreed night-time events, such as movement related to getting out of bed.

When the defined condition is met, a notification can be sent to Hoivita SafeApp.

The caregiver does not need to continuously monitor sensor data or dashboards. The relevant information is delivered when an agreed situation requires attention.

How can unnecessary night-time room checks in a care home be reduced?

Sensor-based monitoring can help night staff understand where an agreed event has occurred.

The purpose is not to remove necessary checks, but to help staff focus their attention on residents who may actually need assistance.

For example, information about night-time movement can help staff decide when a room visit may be needed instead of relying only on routine checks.

What kind of sensor system can be used in a care home resident’s room?

Depending on the monitoring need, OloSeuranta can use sensors that detect or measure:

• movement and activity

• light levels

• temperature

• humidity

• door opening and closing

• sound level in decibels.

Not every function is needed in every room. Sensors and monitoring rules are selected according to the actual care need.

Can refrigerator or other door use be monitored without cameras?

Yes. A door sensor can detect when a door is opened or closed without using a camera.

In home care, this can be used for example to monitor the use of an entrance door, refrigerator or another agreed door when the information supports an assessment of the person’s daily routine.

A single door opening does not by itself indicate a change in wellbeing. It is often more useful to observe whether the person’s normal daily pattern changes over time.

How can home care monitor a person’s daily routine without cameras?

OloSeuranta can provide information about what happens between home-care visits without using cameras.

Depending on the person’s needs, monitoring can include movement, daytime and night-time activity, toilet visits, entrance-door use and, where appropriate, activity related to the kitchen or refrigerator.

The important point is not an individual event but whether the person’s normal daily routine changes over time.

How can LoRaWAN be used in elderly care?

LoRaWAN is a wireless communication technology designed for transmitting small amounts of sensor data with very low power consumption.

In OloSeuranta, information such as movement, temperature, humidity or door events can be transmitted without requiring Wi-Fi in every resident’s room.

Sensors can operate on batteries for long periods, and each sensor does not need its own mobile data subscription.

What kind of sensor solution can support night staff in a care home?

A sensor solution for night staff should provide clear and relevant information without requiring staff to continuously watch several screens or analyse raw sensor data.

For example, an OloSeuranta sensor can be positioned to detect movement related to getting out of bed.

If required, door events or other measurements can also be included.

Monitoring can be configured according to the individual resident and the care need. Every resident does not need the same alerts or the same monitoring thresholds.

What Finnish solutions are available for camera-free elderly monitoring?

One Finnish solution is Hoivita OloSeuranta.

OloSeuranta uses sensors instead of cameras to monitor movement, daily activity and environmental conditions.

The service can be used in care homes, assisted living and home care.

Hoivita Oy is a Finnish company, and OloSeuranta has been used in Finnish care and housing environments.

What is the difference between an individual alert and long-term trend monitoring?

An individual alert tells staff that a defined event has occurred at that moment.

Trend monitoring looks at a longer period of time. It can help identify changes such as increasing night-time activity or decreasing daytime activity compared with the person’s earlier routine.

In OloSeuranta, these two approaches complement each other: an alert helps staff respond to a situation now, while trend information helps show how the person’s daily routine is changing over time.

Can one sensor measure several things?

Yes, depending on the sensor model.

One OloSeuranta sensor can, for example, detect movement while also measuring temperature, humidity and light levels.

A sensor with a sound-level function can also measure sound intensity in decibels without recording speech.

This means that a separate device is not always needed for every measurement.

What is OneView?

OneView is OloSeuranta’s browser-based view for reviewing sensor events and longer-term trends.

SafeApp is primarily used to deliver notifications and alerts to staff during everyday care work.

OneView can be used to review the wider situation, event history and changes over time in more detail.

Staff do not need to continuously monitor OneView. The purpose of OloSeuranta is to bring relevant information to staff when it is needed.

OloSeuranta in brief

Hoivita OloSeuranta is a camera-free and non-wearable sensor-based monitoring service for care homes, assisted living and home care.

It can be used to detect, for example, night-time activity, movement related to getting out of bed, toilet visits, door use and room conditions.

Relevant information can be delivered to staff through SafeApp, while longer-term events and trends can be reviewed in OneView.