At a recent Connected Health Summit virtual roundtable, sponsored by Cognitive Systems, industry leaders explored how ambient sensing technologies are reshaping the senior care market. The discussion, moderated by Jennifer Kent, Vice President of Research at Parks Associates, revealed a growing convergence between demographic demand, technological innovation, and evolving expectations among seniors and caregivers.
A Growing Market for Smart Senior Care
Kent began with key findings from Parks Associates’ research on the size of the caregiver market and current use of assistive technology adoption. In 2025, 30 million households report currently caring or planning to care for someone in the next five years. Further, Parks Associates consumer survey of 8,000 internet households shows that now that 16.3 million households now use assistive technologies, up from 14.4 million in 2022.
These technologies span from familiar tools like medical alert buttons and smartwatches to newer sensor-based systems, connected appliances, and professionally monitored services. The trend points toward a $5 billion annual market opportunity for “aging well” technology packages—bundled solutions offering independence, safety, and peace of mind through smart locks, fall detection, and sensor-driven wellness insights.
Cognitive Systems and the Power of Wi-Fi Sensing
Taj Manku, CEO and founder of Cognitive Systems, explained how his company uses ordinary Wi-Fi signals to detect motion and behavior patterns without cameras or wearables. By translating changes in Wi-Fi signal patterns into meaningful insights, like when a senior wakes up, moves around, or becomes inactive, these technologies offer a continuous, privacy-preserving layer of care.
“Wi-Fi is everywhere,” Manku noted. “It’s affordable, scalable, and already built into most homes.” With algorithms that identify trends in movement, sleep interruptions, or daily routines, Cognitive’s ambient sensing helps families and providers detect subtle changes before they become crises.
This proactive approach aligns with a key shift discussed by all panelists: moving from reactive care - responding to emergencies - to predictive, preventative care that keeps seniors healthier and independent longer.
Bridging Tech and the Human Touch
For Meighen Fitzpatrick, VP of Product at Lifeguard Health, the goal is not just automation but augmentation. “We leverage ambient sensing to help seniors live independently at home longer,” she said, “but we also include a human component through 24/7 monitoring and reporting.”
Lifeguard integrates data from sensors with human-led oversight to ensure insights translate into meaningful action. Fitzpatrick emphasized that many caregivers simply want to know what’s happening when they’re not present—whether their loved one is sleeping, eating, or maintaining daily routines.
That sentiment was echoed by Eliza Salerno, COO of Medical Guardian, whose company serves more than 625,000 members through wearable devices and connected-care solutions. She pointed to the growing expectation among families and healthcare partners for data-driven, predictive insights that can lower costs and improve outcomes: “Early intervention drives down cost of care for everyone, from families to health systems.”
Both Fitzpatrick and Salerno underscored the importance of balancing innovation with empathy. As automation expands, trust, privacy, and dignity remain central to adoption. “People don’t want technology for technology’s sake,” Fitzpatrick said. “They want it because it brings real benefits.”
Integrating Systems, Building Trust
Mark Francis, Chief Product Officer at Electronic Caregiver, stressed that providers and payers now demand accuracy and actionability over raw data. “You lose trust if you overwhelm folks with data for data’s sake,” he said. “It has to be actionable.”
Francis described how the home-care industry,traditionally built around physical caregivers,is embracing technology out of necessity amid caregiver shortages. Ambient systems like Wi-Fi sensing can provide “ears and eyes” in the home when no one is there, extending the reach of human caregivers.
To scale effectively, Francis argued, integration is key. Point solutions, separate devices and apps for specific problems, create friction. The future lies in open platforms where data from multiple devices converge in one interface for both professional and family caregivers. “We’re in the second inning of a nine-inning game,” he said. “The next decade is about building truly unified ecosystems.”
Overcoming Adoption Barriers
When asked how to engage seniors who may resist new technology, the panelists agreed that clear communication about benefits and privacy is essential. Ambient sensing, which operates invisibly through existing Wi-Fi, can overcome resistance to intrusive cameras or complex wearables.
Ease of setup, reliability, and transparency also build trust. “Nobody likes to be monitored,” Manku admitted, “but when the system is simple, reliable, and clearly explained, people see its value.”
Salerno added that responsibility with data is a cornerstone of trust: “Members want to know their data is being handled responsibly and that we’re using it to create real value.”
The Role of AI: Smarter, More Personal Care
All panelists acknowledged the growing role of artificial intelligence in enabling proactive, personalized care.
- Cognitive Systems uses machine learning to interpret motion patterns and detect anomalies.
- Lifeguard Health applies AI to highlight behavioral trends and potential risks, while still pairing results with human oversight.
- Medical Guardian uses AI and automation to streamline low-touch tasks, freeing human staff for high-empathy interactions.
- Electronic Caregiver’s “Addison”, a virtual caregiver powered by conversational AI, provides companionship and prompts daily health routines—integrating data from sensors to deliver real-time, context-aware nudges.
AI, they agreed, is not replacing human care but enhancing it—helping scarce caregiver resources focus on what matters most.
Looking Ahead: From Reactive to Proactive
Manku closed the session by envisioning how ambient sensing will evolve over the next decade. As Wi-Fi sensing becomes standardized across chipsets and devices, its capabilities will expand beyond motion detection to subtle biometric indicators—potentially even tracking breathing or other vital signs through microscopic motion.
“The future is proactive,” he said. “By recognizing changes early—less movement, fewer kitchen visits, restless sleep—we can intervene before problems escalate. That’s how technology truly supports healthier, longer lives.”
The Connected Health Summit roundtable made one thing clear: aging in place is no longer a distant vision. It’s a fast-emerging reality, powered by ambient intelligence, collaborative ecosystems, and a renewed commitment to the human side of care.
This Connected Health Summit session, Ambient Sensing: Next Frontier in Senior Care, was hosted on October 25 and sponsored by Cognitive Networks. The US Census Bureau projects that 73 million people, 17% of the total population, will be 65 or older by 2030. In addition, there will be more than nine million adults aged 85 or older, the age group most likely to need assisted living.
According to Parks Associates, more than 14 million US internet households have utilized assistive living solutions—such as personal emergency response systems (PERS), medical alert systems, or smart home technologies—and 54% now own a connected health device, reflecting a significant shift toward proactive safety and wellness tools that support aging in place. In addition, 55% of security system households use a personal or wearable safety system.
The twelfth annual Connected Health Summit, sponsored by Alarm.com, Becklar, Calix, Cognitive Systems, and Silicon Labs, focuses on health tech and innovations to enhance health lifestyles. Speakers in the June 12 roundtable session will address how senior living communities and home healthcare workers can offer smarter, more connected environments that prioritize both safety and quality of life.
