Patent ID: 8558703

Claim:
A method for monitoring an individual, comprising: providing a monitoring system having a control device in communication with appliances; determining a routine usage of the appliance by an individual; prior to an alarm situation, alerting a first third party that the individual is using the appliance by displaying, in real time, the individual's use of the appliance on a display, the control device measuring and determining a maximum allowed time of usage of the appliance, the control device detecting a deviation from the routine usage of the appliance; the monitoring system broadcasting a verbal reminder to the individual about a pending alarm situation and displaying a picture of the appliance on a communication device of the individual and calling a telephone of the individual with a voice instruction to turn off the appliance, the individual failing to turn off the appliance within a time period, the control device automatically sending an alarm signal to a remote communication device of the first third party; when the first third party fails to respond within a limited time period, sending an alarm signal to a second third party, when the first third party responds within the limited time period, the third party remotely manipulating the appliance in real time by sending a manipulation signal from the remote communication device to the control device; and the control device receiving the manipulation signal and verifying a number of the communication device as being registered before sending a turning off signal to the appliance to remove the deviation from the routine usage without involving the individual.