Long-term conditions and dementia
Spot the earliest signs of change, so support can arrive sooner.
Howz provides ongoing support for people with dementia and other long-term conditions, helping them stay independent for longer.
Case studies
Real examples of people with dementia living at home.
Preventing a life-threatening long lie through family alerts
- How they presented
- A person with mixed dementia who had lived independently at home for 18 years. Their daughter supported them using the Howz family app and a GPS tracker.
- Work done
- An enhanced sensor package of 5 motion sensors, 2 smart plugs and 2 door sensors, alongside the family app and GPS tracker.
- Results
- A low-activity alert led the daughter to check on her mother, who was on the kitchen floor, cold, after a fall caused by a UTI. She was admitted to hospital, and Howz then supported her care when she returned home.
“I noticed she had not moved so went round to check on her. My mum was lay on the floor naked. I called an ambulance and she was admitted into hospital for a week with a UTI. I have no reason to believe she would be alive today.” The person’s daughter
Confirming a safe overnight routine to avoid extra night care
- How they presented
- An older adult with dementia in extra care housing. Staff were concerned they might be leaving the property overnight and recommended night-time care.
- Work done
- A 3-week assessment using Howz machine learning to work out whether the person was at home, and whether they left the property overnight.
- Results
- There was no sign of them leaving during the night, or of any absence longer than 20 minutes at a time. Their routine was stable throughout, so night-time care visits were not needed.
£30,000 a year in care costs avoided, while keeping the person independent.
Our experience in dementia care
Howz has been working with people with dementia, their carers and the clinicians who support them since 2016, alongside the NHS and leading universities.
- 2016–2018
TIHM for dementia
Howz joins Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Surrey and the Alzheimer’s Society on TIHM (Technology Integrated Health Management), an NHS England Test Bed. A £5.2 million randomised controlled trial with more than 400 people with dementia and their carers shows a significant reduction in symptoms such as agitation, anxiety and depression, and gives carers peace of mind.
- 2018
Extra £1 million for phase two
NHS England and the Office for Life Sciences award a further £1 million to extend the study. Up to 200 more people with dementia and their carers use Howz wearables and smart home devices to help detect high blood pressure, dehydration, possible urinary tract infections and wandering.
- 2019
CE mark approval
The TIHM for dementia system is approved as a CE marked medical device. Machine learning algorithms that identify urinary tract infections and signs of agitation are central to it, and pilots begin with Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and GPs in Middlesex.
- 2020
The first NHS monitoring service
During the pandemic, Surrey and Borders Partnership launches the TIHM Monitoring Service, the first of its kind offered by the NHS, with Howz, Surrey County Council and Surrey Heartlands. People with dementia in Surrey and their carers receive remote monitoring, backed by a clinical team available from 8am to 8pm.
- 2022
Expanding across regions
The service, supporting around 500 people in Surrey, expands to North East Hampshire and Farnham and to East Berkshire, with Frimley Health and Care joining as a partner.
- 2025
MinderCare
Howz joins the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust on MinderCare, a LifeArc-funded study of around 100 people with dementia and their carers. It tests whether early warning alerts can be delivered reliably at scale.
Detecting change over time
Powered by proprietary machine learning, Howz identifies underlying changes that may indicate the progression of a long-term condition.
Through our long-term partnership with the UK Dementia Research Institute, Howz has unmatched experience in supporting people living with dementia to stay safely at home for as long as possible.
Our published studies validate the use of our technology for dementia, stroke and UTI detection. Read our research.
Proven impact by NHS research
Reduction in risk of care home admission
Reduction in emergency admissions
Reduction in anxiety
Source: NHS research published by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Howz. Read the NHS report
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