(Wired) – Devices that monitor seniors for safety are appealing to worried loved ones and underresourced home care agencies.

My dad was initially resistant to Sensi because of his own privacy concerns—who can blame him?—but after a little cajoling from my sister and me, he finally agreed to have the device installed. At some point, Sensi flagged my father as someone with a “possible high risk of falls” and began listening for words indicating he was unsteady on his feet. When Sensi’s microphone overheard him saying the word “fall,” it automatically sent the private exchange to his caregivers.

Weeks later, out of curiosity, I requested the transcripts of everything Sensi was recording in my father’s home. Reading his personal conversations, I suddenly felt like a spy, with the device as my silent conspirator. I’d pushed for the thing in the first place, but now I felt uneasy about it. My father, meanwhile, didn’t remember being told that Sensi was eavesdropping on his conversations. (Read More)