CareSense Home

Inspiration

CareSense Home was inspired by our own families. Some of us have close family members living with dementia, and we have seen how difficult daily life can become, both for the person affected and for those caring for them. We noticed that many challenges come not only from the condition itself, but from living environments that are not designed for cognitive decline. This personal experience motivated us to explore how homes could better support safety, calm, and dignity.

What it does

CareSense Home is a dementia-friendly environmental support system that helps older adults live more safely and calmly at home. It adapts elements such as lighting, sound, and routines to reduce confusion and agitation, while providing caregivers with simple insights and alerts for peace of mind. The focus is on prevention and daily stability rather than emergency-only responses.

How we built it

We built the project by starting with real daily routines and challenges we observed in dementia care. Using dementia-care guidelines and environment-first design principles, we shaped a system that combines environmental sensing with gentle cues. Throughout the process, we prioritised simplicity, dignity, and non-intrusive support for both older adults and caregivers.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was balancing helpful support with privacy and dignity. We deliberately avoided intrusive monitoring, which limited some technical options but aligned with our values. Another challenge was keeping the solution simple while making it flexible enough to support different stages of dementia.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of creating a concept that shifts dementia care from reactive alarms to proactive environmental support. We are also proud that the solution was shaped by personal experience, ethical considerations, and caregiver wellbeing, rather than purely technical ambition.

What we learned

We learned that small environmental changes can make a meaningful difference in dementia care. We also learned that caregivers need tools that reduce stress rather than add complexity. Most importantly, we learned that empathy and lived experience are essential when designing solutions for vulnerable populations.

What's next for CareSense Home

Next, we want to connect with caregivers, families, and dementia-care professionals to validate our approach in real homes and care settings. Through pilot studies and feedback, we aim to refine the system further and ensure it truly supports dignity, safety, and peace of mind.