Independent Living

ICT technology can help older people to live independently for longer. It also has enormous potential for helping older people participate in society, and reduce the rates of depression and isolation. ICT can help carers do their work, make overall care provision more sustainable, and save money (e.g. by avoiding and reducing hospital stays). Current solutions for telemonitoring, telecare or social interaction are usually based on a single provider design. They cannot easily be adapted to multiple and changing user and organizational needs.

The objective is to develop interoperable independent living solutions, including guidelines for business models. This should boost the deployment of open and personalized solutions for active and independent living that are supported by global standards and new evidence on the return of investment. Action Group C2 can provide essential input to the creation of a new market for cost-effective products and services for older people that helps them to live a more active and independent life. This reinforces on-going activities in Europe (and elsewhere) in the area of research and innovation, supported through public-private partnerships.