SELLEST OSAST
On this episode of the Fighting Dementia Podcast, hosts Fran, and Tom speak with Zeke about “smart socks” developed after his great-grandmother’s dementia journey. He explains how the socks were created through care home volunteering and PhD research at the University of Bristol, focusing on detecting early signs of distress linked to unmet needs and addressing why wrist-worn devices often fail in care settings.
Milbotix SmartSocks measure pulse, temperature, sweat and movement to flag stress/anxiety, analyse gait changes, detect falls and help carers intervene earlier; a newer version adds optional locating support via a companion device with cellular connectivity. They discuss pilots across care homes, an NHS pilot, a government grant to extend research, pricing and plans to reduce cost via subscriptions, plus wider applications and the importance of carers looking after themselves.
Learn more about SmartSocks here - https://milbotix.com/shop/
Resources & Further Reading:
Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging
SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/
Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/
Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/
Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
Chapters:
00:00 Podcast Introductions
00:40 Why Smart Socks
02:41 Behavioural Symptoms Focus
03:31 PhD And Care Home Insights
04:53 Why A Sock Design
05:18 Battery And Care Settings
05:46 Wandering And GPS Tracking
07:01 Trials And Research Funding
07:54 How The Sensors Work
09:25 Preventing Falls Early
10:39 NHS And Home Care Uses
12:14 Safety Features And New Data
13:10 Cost And Subscription Model
14:10 Comfort And Sizing Design
15:13 Beyond Dementia Applications
16:35 Future Vision And Parkinsons
18:37 Developer Programme Pitch
19:49 How to Contact Milbotix
20:25 Subscribe and Share
20:57 Carer Self Care Matters
22:00 Respite and Early Intervention
24:04 Thanks and Alzheimer’s Society
25:03 Oily Fish Diet Check In
27:20 Taste Test Sour Fruits
29:54 Food Preferences and Texture
32:43 Oily Fish Wrap Up
33:00 Final Listener Disclaimer
