24 January 2026

Although contemporary nursing homes are better than the long-term geriatric wards which I visited forty-five years ago, nothing can replicate the comfort of being and remaining in your own home. Everything should be done to ensure that people stay at home for as long as possible.

Of course, there may come a time when there is no-one else at home and twenty-four hour nursing care is required  but for everyone else  it must  become a personal ambition to stay at home. We have built an extension with a wet room to keep us out of nursing homes for as long as possible.

Recently, I read about a new invention for people with dementia which will enable some people to remain at home much longer. The invention relies on AI. Although there are limitations to AI, this is one area of scientific research which has benefitted.

It’s a pair of glasses equipped with CrossSense, a new AI tool which helps people with dementia to navigate their world. Inside the frames, there is a microphone and a camera. A live display has been integrated into the lenses.

The glasses can answer all sorts of questions. ‘What type of biscuits are these?’ or ‘Where have I left my keys?’ or ‘What is the name of the person coming towards me?’ or ‘Can you put on the heating?’ or ‘Will you remind me to lock the door tonight?’

One woman who participated in the trial said, ‘What I want is to stay living in my flat and not be a burden to my son. And I think technology like this can help do that … And it is not speaking down to me.’ like the dental receptionist who said to me, ‘What are we wanting today?’ To which I replied, ‘There’s just one of me today!’

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