As the world's aging population increases, wireless sensor networks can help monitor the health of elderly patients. These networks allow continuous monitoring of vital signs from wearable sensors. Researchers are working to optimize these networks for power efficiency, security, and management. Wireless health monitoring provides advantages over wired systems by allowing remote patient monitoring and emergency alerts anywhere. However, data transmission over infrastructure networks may not always be possible, so ad hoc wireless networks are needed for continuous monitoring in more locations.