1278 results about "Gerontology" patented technology

Methods and systems for health and wellness management, including computer programs for implementing such methods and systems, are disclosed. An illustrative system for managing the health and wellness of plan members within a health plan can include a plan sponsor, a behavior modification program targeted to one or more plan members within the health plan, and a plan administrator adapted to monitor the progress of each plan member participating in the behavior modification program. A customizable computer exercise program can be provided as a part of the behavior modification program to promote weight loss, increase activity level, as well as other health related objectives. The computer exercise program can include a compliance module adapted to monitor the plan member's usage of the program, and a communications module for transferring data back and forth between the exercise program and administrator.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring and promoting behavioral modification with regard to an individual's health. In particular, the present invention provides a means for monitoring an individual's performance of health-promoting measures and, based on the member compliance to health-promoting measures, issuing tangible and / or intangible incentive products. In one embodiment, exercise / activity monitors are worn by members to verify their identity and to record and transmit member compliance in performing health-promoting measures (i.e., heart rate, type of exercise, exercise intensity and duration). All health-related information, including physical examination results and recorded participation in health-promoting measures, are used to determine appropriate incentives (i.e., subsidize membership fees for health club) to be rewarded to said member.

A home control system using galvanic skin responses and heart rate information and a method thereof. Whether a user is awake is judged using a galvanic skin response sensor, and the extent of stress of a user is determined using the user's heart rate, thereby extracting a user's emotional state and sleeping state. Furthermore, based on these, various systems in the home network of a user are controlled according to the user's emotional state and sleeping state. In addition, those control results are stored in a database so as to create the optimum control conditions.

A biometric monitoring device measuring various biometric information is provided that allows the person to take and / or display a heart rate reading by a simple user interaction with the device, e.g., by simply touching a heart rate sensor surface area or moving the device in a defined motion pattern. Some embodiments of this disclosure provide biometric monitoring devices that allow a person to get a quick heart rate reading without removing the device or interrupting their other activities. Some embodiments provide heart rate monitoring with other desirable features such as feedback on data acquisition status.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for evaluating and establishing pricing of insurance products based on insured member compliance to health-promoting measures. Member participation in health-promoting measures are monitored and used as a basis for establishing incentives (i.e., reduction in insurance premiums) for said member. In one embodiment, exercise / activity monitors are worn by members to verify their identity and to record insurance member compliance in performing health-promoting measures (i.e., heart rate, type of exercise, exercise intensity and duration). All health-related information, including physical examination results and recorded participation in health-promoting measures, are used to determine appropriate incentives (i.e., subsidize membership fees for health club) to be rewarded to said member.

A sleep management method and system for improving the quality of sleep of a user which monitors one or more objective parameters relevant to sleep quality of the user when in bed and receives from the user in waking hours via a portable device such as a mobile phone feedback from objective test data on cognitive and / or psychomotor performance.

In one embodiment, a diabetes management system comprises a glucose monitoring system, a pump system, and a remote device. The glucose monitoring system and pump system are attached to a patient and covered by a soft shell. The glucose monitoring system and the pump system are controlled by the small, touch-screen remote device such a patient can discreetly monitor blood glucose levels and administer insulin dosages. The remote device has a small and durable form factor that can be worn or carried in various ways.

Personal care compositions, especially those personal care compositions in the form of an article that is a porous, dissolvable solid structure.

A wellness system monitors the controlled progress of patients under surveillance and includes a server base station which is generally off-site, a web-site interface and a local station at the point-of-use, which is generally a health or fitness center. A unique data base is created for each user and goals and objectives may be set with progress monitored. Typically, the user will respond to a survey or questionnaire to populate his specific database. This is combined with a professional assessment and an automated measurement of vital statistics such as weight, blood pressure and body composition as measured at the local station. Other data may be entered manually such as height, age and the like. In a more comprehensive system the invention is designed to monitor other data such as cholesterol and blood glucose, as well. The locally input data may be updated at will by the user or on behalf of the user by professional personnel.

In a system and method for assessing and modifying fatigue, an input device receives current work-rest pattern and / or sleep data from an individual. A data aggregation and processing platform combines the current work-rest pattern and / or sleep data with previous data related to the individual to generate a fatigue assessment result, a diagnostic assessment result, and a corrective intervention result. At least one output display outputs the fatigue assessment result, diagnostic assessment result and corrective intervention result in a user-readable format to a user. The user uses this information to revise the work-rest pattern to reduce or control future fatigue risk.

The invention provides a system for monitoring a patient that includes: 1) a first database that stores the patient's blood test information; 2) a monitoring device that collects the patient's cardiovascular and exercise information; 3) a second database that receives cardiovascular and exercise information from the monitoring device; and 4) an Internet-based system that displays the blood test, cardiovascular, and exercise information.

A personal care composition utilizing undecyl sulfates and / or ethoxylated undecyl sulfates (undeceth sulfates).

The present systems and methods relate to marketing health products and health services. One or more marketing presentations are made to a health consumer about one or more health products or health services. The marketing presentations are targeted based on health data regarding the health consumer and optionally data regarding the health provider. The present systems and methods allow life science companies, government entities and others to more efficiently and effectively market health products and / or health services to health consumers and health providers.

A novel system and methodology for dietary and medical treatment planning wherein meals and treatment plans are specifically individualized for a user according to a number of unique characteristics associated with that user. These characteristics are provided to the system of the present invention and one or more resulting meal plans and / or therapies are generated. According to the present invention, particular dieter specific characteristics that may be considered in developing the meal plan include daily caloric limitations and or recommendations, daily nutritional requirements including minimum and maximum vitamin, mineral, water, and electrolyte intake as well as specific genetic characteristics concerning the individual. Dieter food preferences and other factors may also be considered. The system of the present invention uses this dieter specific information to generate one or more meal plans for that dieter in connection with an ingredient, food, supplement, drug and recipe database containing a universe of foods, supplements, and drugs available for generating meals and treatment plans in accordance with the diet. The system of the present invention may function as a standalone application or it may be web-based wherein users may access the application on a server accessible through the internet or some other public or private network.

Disclosed is a health maintenance system for comprehensive health assessment, abnormality detection, health monitoring, health pattern and trend detection, health strategy development, and health history archiving. The health maintenance system comprises a subscriber segment and a system segment, communicatively coupled. The subscriber segment acquires subscriber personal and health data from at least one subscriber, analyzing the data; identifies specific health abnormalities; prescribes at least one customized subscriber health product, instructs the subscriber on the implementation of the prescribed health product, compiles and preserves the subscriber's health history data—including abnormalities and prescribed health products, and performs monitoring of subscriber health conditions. The subscriber segment acquires subscriber data from the subscriber segment, stores and maintains the data, facilitates retrieval of data by the subscriber and emergency medical personnel analyzes subscriber patterns and trends, develops new health products and modifies existing health products, and monitors the effectiveness of health products.

A program for purchasing homes is disclosed. The program is primarily intended for individuals with a poor or sub prime credit rating that precludes them from qualifying for conventional home loan financing. The individuals improve their credit rating as part of the program. The program is preferably operated as a franchise in which franchisees initially purchase homes on behalf of the individuals, lease the homes to the individuals according to a contract entered prior to purchasing the home and, upon successful fulfillment of the lease, the home is sold to the individual using conventional financing. The fulfillment of the lease-to-own contract assists in improving the individual's credit rating and assists in positioning the individual to qualify for conventional home loan financing.

A user's personal biometric information such as age, sex, weight, height as well as the user's lifestyle information, such as daily caloric input, job description, smoker status and physical fitness, is uploaded onto a host computer. Target heart rate, energy and / or caloric consumption levels related to desired fitness and weight loss goals for a particular individual are then selected having regard to fitness levels for an individual of comparable age, and consuming similar calories are then downloaded to a caloric monitoring unit. The caloric monitoring unit is provided for measuring the user's heart rate and dynamic energy and / or caloric expenditure over one to four weeks. The caloric monitoring unit includes a heart rate monitor, a unit accelerometer, a global positioning system (GPS), and an audio and / or video output. The audio / video output is operable to provide information and / or motivational prompts to the user in the event the heart rate, energy expenditure and / or caloric expenditure falls below or exceeds pre-selected target expenditures over a particular time segment of the selected time period having regard to the calories which are consumed. A display provides a continuously updated visual indication of whether or not the use has achieved the pre-selected optimum caloric burn or energy expenditure for that particular time segment. An internal calendar / clock, a processor and / or memory in the caloric monitoring unit compares measured heart rate and energy expenditures for multiple time segments against target levels stored as the user-specific fitness programme tailored to achieve the desired weight loss. The comparison is then used to generate compliance output data to either the user and / or a nutritionist.

A system and method for generating a health profile by processing and mapping health care data for an individual or a group of individuals, to identify categorical associations of health care data and predict occurrences of associated categories of such data. The system comprises a plurality of central networks that communicate with a remote device through a global electronic network. Data is retrieved through the global electronic network and processed by a remote device to create a map of the health status of an individual or a group of individuals. The health profile can be used to manage the treatment and health of an individual or a group of individuals. The health profile may be encoded on an integrated circuit chip or a card having a magnetic strip.

A measuring device for use in measuring calorie consumption includes a pulse input unit which detects a first heart rate of the user at a first point in an exercise period and a second heart rate of the user at a second point of the exercise period other than the first point, the pulse input unit not detecting a third heart rate between the first and second heart rates; and a controller which receives the detected first and second heart rates and calculates calories consumed using the detected first heart rate, the detected second heart rate, an at rest heart rate of the user, and one or more of an age of the user, gender of the user, weight of the user, height of the user, and an at rest heart rate of the user. The measuring device is usable in a portable device, such as a portable digital audio and / or video reproducing apparatus.

The present invention provides a system and method for assisting users in developing a customized health, wellness and prevention plan and making health related decisions. A health assessment-intervention component collects and screens diagnostic and demographic data from clients and assists in forming health-care related decisions, action plans and treatment plans. An analytical component analyzes blood and other test information to derive a hierarchy of health risks. A scheduling component manages tests, screenings, and reminders for the customized plan. A plan manager component assists in accumulating information compiled through the other components, as well as presenting a customized prevention plan, dashboard and other interfaces to users. The invention collects and maintains health-related data from third parties such as physicians, researchers, universities and the like, and provides user accessible personal health records and health decision assistance.

A sleep management method and system for use by a carer to improve the sleep behavior of a child in their care by monitoring one or more objective parameters relevant to sleep quality and providing one or more recommendations for behavioral programs and / or actions to the carer via a portable user interaction device such as a mobile phone. Such a system can also be adapted for use in looking after adults and animals such as domestic pets.

Ambulatory or in-hospital monitoring of patients is provided with early warning and prioritization, enabling proactive intervention and amelioration of both costs and risks of health care. Multivariate physiological parameters are estimated by empirical model to remove normal variation. Residuals are tested using a multivariate probability density function to provide a multivariate health index for prioritizing medical effort.

A method, system, and computer program product related to the detection of physical activity using changes in heart rate. The method, system, and computer program product evaluates short term glucose demand and long term insulin action due to physical activity. The method, system, and computer program product is further related to the improvement of open and closed loop control of diabetes by accounting for the metabolic changes due to physical activity. The method, system, and computer program product is directed to detecting in real time the short and long term effects of physical activity on insulin action via heart rate analysis, and recommending changes in insulin dosing to compensate for the effects of physical activity. With these recommendations, the open and closed loop control of diabetes can be improved and steps can be taken to prevent hypoglycemia that may result from increased insulin sensitivity due to physical activity.

A personal care kit comprises a first series of unit-dose packages containing a first skin care composition and a second series of unit-doses packages containing a second skin care composition, wherein the first skin care composition and the second skin care composition exhibit a readily perceptible difference. The readily perceptible difference may be a visible difference, a tactile difference, or an olfactory difference. The first and / or second skin care composition may comprise a skin care active. A method for using the personal care kit is also disclosed.

The invention concerns a device for detecting abnormal situations, in particular falls, in a living being, comprising means generating an alarm signal representing an abnormal situation, based on analysis of at least an activity information and, at least in some cases, at least a physiological information.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a benefits contract includes an agreement to provide a plurality of benefits for at least one person. The agreement provides for an account including a plurality of units. Each unit is associated with multiple benefits. For example each unit may be associated with multiple benefits such as life insurance, health insurance, supplemental health insurance, long-term care insurance, short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, prescription drug insurance, a plurality of income payments, a withdrawal benefit, an annuity, a property and casualty benefit, or other similar benefits. The agreement is such that a person associated with the benefits contract may choose to exercise a particular unit, or fraction thereof, to receive only one of the three or more benefits; and such that the benefits account (or plurality of units) may be purchased tax-free using funds from a tax-deferred retirement account.

Methods and systems for enabling and supporting patient compliance with a health treatment program or with health-related instructions from a caregiver are described. An interactive feedback loop is implemented that enhances and improves on present methods of monitoring and supporting patient compliance with treatment programs, particularly for patients with chronic conditions. A patient enters various types of data (e.g., biometric readings, diary entries, responses to surveys and health assessments, etc.) to a health data management system that includes a patient compliance monitoring system. The patient is encouraged to enter as much data as is practical and as frequently as possible. The feedback loop of the present invention provides compliance messages to the patient in a timely manner that are responsive to the data entered by the patient. The messages are customized, supportive, and timely. The system can also implement a reward scheme in which patients who go beyond their prescribed treatment program or consistently stay within a compliance range obtain direct financial benefits or rewards. The system also allows patients to sends feedback on the messages he or she receives from the system. This feedback can be used to measure the effectiveness of a treatment program or of the monitoring system itself. Healthcare professionals play an active role in tailoring and “signing off” the compliance-related messages that the patient receives.

A method of automated sleep behavior modification for insomnia and other sleep problems using a computerized treatment system including: determining a baseline sleep pattern of a user and storing in the system data indicative of the baseline sleep pattern; generating a sleep behavior regimen based on the stored sleep pattern data and a behavior modification algorithm, wherein the algorithm generates sleep inducement behavior prompts; prompting the user to perform a predetermined sleep inducement behavior at a time determined by the regimen; tracking the sleep behavior of the user and storing data indicative of the tracked sleep behavior; modifying the regimen based on the tracked sleep behavior, and prompting the user to perform the predetermined sleep inducement behavior at a time determined by the modified regimen.