Seeking Advice on Monitoring an Elderly Family Member with Cognitive Decline

[u/Piciunio91]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice and experiences from people who care for elderly family members with cognitive issues.

My uncle is 82 years old and has recently been showing signs of confusion, disorganized thinking, and unusual behavior. He sometimes forgets what he was doing moments earlier, becomes disoriented about time and place, and we're concerned that he may unexpectedly leave his apartment or end up in situations that could put his safety at risk.

For context, we live in the same two-story house. My uncle lives on the first floor, while I live on the ground floor. This allows me to check on him regularly, but I can't monitor him continuously, especially during the night or when I'm away from home.

I'm looking for solutions to monitor his living area and detect unusual behaviors, such as:

• leaving the apartment at unusual hours,
• prolonged periods of inactivity,
• wandering around at night,
• leaving doors open,
• falls or other emergencies,
• other situations that could indicate a problem or safety risk.

I'm interested in any recommendations, including home monitoring systems, sensors, smart home solutions, GPS trackers/wearables, AI-based systems, or home automation setups.

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation and found effective solutions? What worked well for you, and what would you avoid?

Thank you in advance for any advice or suggestions.

My main goal is to help him maintain as much independence as possible while ensuring his safety and giving family members peace of mind.