JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Poor mental health is an ever-growing concern that incurs significant burden; however, technological solutions that provide greater communication and connectivity with mental health services and care providers have the potential to mitigate some of this burden. Based on our experience with a recent study, we outline and describe four key steps in developing a successful Smart Home innovation for individuals with mental illnesses. These include setting up the digital infrastructure, ensuring the components of the system communicate, ensuring that the system is designed for the intended population, and engaging stakeholders. Recommendations of how to approach each of these steps are provided along with suggested literature that addresses additional considerations, guidelines, and equipment selection in more depth. Considerations regarding data privacy are also discussed, particularly as they apply to policies in Canada, the United States, and China, to help guide potential researchers with data on devices and internationally-based servers. A description of the completed Smart Home study conducted in the community and in hospital apartments by our research team is also provided to give additional insight into a system that proved successful with clients in mental health housing programs. Our overall recommendations are that 1) equipment should be commercially available and compatible (with screen devices and biosensors as advantageous); 2) data should be accessible to end users, with storage and transmission compliant with appropriate regulations; and, 3) stakeholders must be involved in the design process as well as implementation throughout the project.