As you know, Community Living Prince Edward is pleased to be part of a pilot project with Awake Labs and four other developmental service agencies from across the province including Community Living Windsor. 

Awake Labs has developed new technology using a Samsung Galaxy Smart Watch, a mobile app, and a clinically validated algorithm developed by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital that translates the wearer's heart rate and motion into a real-time measure of physiological arousal. Physiological arousal can include anxiety, fear, anger, or excitement.

Over the last several months, four people we serve have been wearing a Samsung Galaxy watch, which measures heart rate and motion. The clinically validated algorithm is integrated into the Samsung Galaxy watch and provides a notification for the person and team members based on each person’s unique baseline. The four people and Teams involved in this phase of the Pilot are 3 Spencer Street, 14 Ontario Street (2 people) and 2 Nicholas Street.

The notification provides the opportunity for team members to intervene earlier and be able to implement strategies to assist the person to reduce and manage their anxiety or fears. The goals of the technology are to improve quality of life for people, support people to learn strategies to self-regulate, reduce the number of anxiety-related incidents and reduce or eliminate the use of intrusive measures.

It is hoped that through the use of this technology people we serve, team members and the organization will have a deeper understanding of; anxiety and fear, the triggers for each person, how to intervene earlier so less intrusive measures are needed, all of which will lead to a better quality of life.

We are pleased to share the Pilot is being extended into a year long Pilot, and will be expanding with the addition of three people we serve joining the Pilot this month. The three people and Teams involved in this phase of the Pilot are 3 Spencer Street, 13 Inkerman Ave, and 14 Ontario Street.