April 19, 2007

scientist react to suggestion of tagging the elderly

Mark Outhwaite, Chairman of the British Computer Society’s Health Informatics Interactive Care Specialist Group, said:

“We already use tags on Newborns and some elderly people in hospitals so there is a history of successfully using these tags in this environment . This technology certainly has a place, it can provide tremendous reassurance to both patients and their families and there is definitely evidence to support its use. When using tags in a community setting you must respect the wishes of both the individual and the family. I would never advocate forcing a tag on a vulnerable and confused patient. There are also considerable ethical issues around placing tags on people without their knowledge. Consent is important and an area of research that has not yet been well explored.”

Prof Ian Forbes, Social Science Consultant and Author of the recent Royal Academy of Engineering report on surveillance technology, said:

“Any decision to tag must take into account all of the social circumstances, not just for the person tagged, but for the carer, who may be a family member under intense pressure and stress.

“A well-engineered tagging solution could bring about a reduction in surveillance for those with some form of dementia.

“It would allow greater freedom and flexibility for the person in lucid times, while providing an effective alarm system for problems should they arise, and before a full-blown crisis developed or a person came to harm. The improvement in the peace of mind of the caring family member strikes me as an important side-benefit of this use of tags.

“There are dilemmas to face. A person with dementia may have lost the capacity to consent to a tag, so the need to protect the individual conflicts with the decision rights of that individual. But the alternative to tagging may be keeping someone under permanent lock and key – a complete deprivation of liberty – or leaving them in danger. Tagging technology can provide practical assistance when choosing between different types of infringements on liberty.”