The East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) is supporting HOWZ with a feasibility study into its mobile app that could help people to remain living independently at home for longer.

The HOWZ app works in conjunction with the owner’s smart meter to learn their daily routines and can be set up to alert a carer if the usual energy usage isn’t detected. This allows the carer, family member or health professional to check in on the person, make sure they are OK and provide support if any changes are detected. 

EMAHSN has commissioned De Montfort University’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences to evaluate the app to see if it could provide widespread benefits for health and social care and review how it is used by older adults and their carers in particular.

HOWZ is working with The Willows Practice in Leicester to recruit volunteers to take part in the study.

While this particular healthcare trial is only open to patients from this practice, others can also help to evaluate the app. It is best used by people in homes with no more than two people in, they must have a smart meter, and somebody involved needs access to a smartphone (not necessarily the person in the home).

For more information, or to take part please call HOWZ on 0203 8686850 or visit www.howz.com/smart-meter-trial