In this chapter the authors describe a novel approach to healthcare delivery for the elderly as adopted by USEFIL, a research project which uses unobtrusive, multi-parametric sensor data collection to support seniors. The system is based on everyday devices such as an in-mirror camera, smart TV, wrist-mountable personal communicator and a tablet computer strategically distributed around the house. It exploits sensor data fusion, intelligent decision support for carers, remote alerting, secure data communications and storage. A combined quantitative and qualitative knowledgebase was established and analysed, target groups were established among elderly prospective users and scenarios were built around each group. Use cases have been prioritised according to quantitative functional and non-functional criteria. Our research findings suggest that an unobtrusive system such as USEFIL could potentially make a significant difference in the quality of life of elderly people, improve the focus of provided healthcare and support their daily independent living activities.
TopAgeing Population: A European Perspective
Seniors over the age of 65 are the fastest growing demographic group globally, expected to reach 1.5 billion by the year 2050, out of a total of approximately 9 billion people. Statistical data show that three out of the top four most aged populations in the world are the citizens of European countries (Beard J. R et al., 2012). In 2010 Japan had the most aged society with 23% of its population being over 65m while Italy, Germany and Greece follow it in the global ranking. Seniors in these European countries account for 21%, 20% and 19% of the total population, respectively. At the other end of the European spectrum, Slovakia, Cyprus and Ireland are the least aged European countries with an elderly percentage of 13%, 12% and 11% respectively.
By comparison the USA, the world’s largest economy, has a ratio of 13% elderly citizens. The three largest emerging economies, China, India and Brazil, are among the world’s least aged countries: seniors account for 8%, 5% and 7% of the population, respectively. (UK Office for National Statistics, 2011)
The implications of a rapidly ageing population are socioeconomically significant: a proportionally smaller workforce has to sustain increasing numbers of pensioners, while medical and social insurance infrastructures need to adjust towards more emphasis on diseases of old age. Part of the solution to these and future aging-related social challenges will likely involve empowering senior citizens to continue living independently, within the community (Bovenschulte M & Huch M, 2010). Apart from the obvious benefits of better targeted healthcare delivery, the required technological developments and infrastructure changes can be combined to help provide more efficient personalised healthcare for elderly citizens (Codagnone, 2009).
This paper presents the work undertaken so far by the USEFIL project (USEFIL, 2011) specifically following such a service-oriented and technologically innovative approach. The project involves planning, technology development of a novel system and associated services, data collection, as well as final pilot studies validation (USEFIL Consortium, 2011). The three countries selected by the project consortium to host the pilot studies are Greece, the UK and Israel. Elderly citizens in these countries represent a proportion of 19%, 17% and 10%, as compared to an overall European Union average of 16%. Moreover, the EU average is expected to increase by 3% during the 2010-2020 decade, double the rate of increase of the past two decades (UN, 2001).
Comparative research performed by USEFIL scientists based on demographic literature produced the following common observations among the three pilot study host countries:
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The population in all three countries follows the global trend and is thus ageing.
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It is ageing at an increasing pace, due to diminishing fertility rates and increasing life expectancy.
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The difference in the percentages of elderly males and elderly females over the entire population is decreasing.