The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Health has shared six health tech solutions for healthy ageing to mark the UN International Day of Older Persons today.
Healthy ageing is a central part of the EU-backed community of health innovators’ goals to promote better health and a sustainable health economy in Europe.
The projects include:
FRADE – This technology to detect, screen and prevent falls includes a wearable sensor, desktop application, Android app and a backend server with web interface.
Swithome – This solution allows stroke survivors to undergo rehabilitation at home through smart insoles which record patients’ walking data such as stride distance and gait. A smartphone app and telemedicine platform enable the specialist to monitor patients’ progress.
INFINITy – This innovation for people living with mild cognitive impairments (MCI) combines smartphone capabilities and near-field communication (NFC) to automate functions related to daily activities. It has been validated in Lodz (Poland) and Terrassa (Spain) with more than 100 users.
FRAIL – This EIT Health project is developing a smartwatch app to detect and monitor frailty amongst elderly people, which will be deployed as a new feature of LOLA, an existing health-monitoring and fall detection app.
PersoCo – This digital self-management system for cognitive assessment and rehabilitation includes an integrated mobile app with a cognitive intervention module to enable personalised feedback and motivational techniques.
AreYouOkayToday? – This remote monitoring system was created by 83-year-old Han van Doorn as part of EIT Health’s Silver Starters programme. It helps caregivers remotely monitor the elderly in their home by signalling if there is a deviation in the usage pattern of household devices.
WHY IT MATTERS
In the EU, the total cost of ageing is expected to rise to 27% of GDP by 2070 – with long-term care and health care costs the biggest contributors to this increase, according to the European Commission’s 2018 Ageing Report.
THE LARGER CONTEXT
With the topic of the ageing demographic high on Europe’s agenda, innovators are turning attention to addressing health concerns related to ageing.
At the recent HIMSS & Health 2.0 Europe digital event, healthcare leaders discussed how retired people have the potential to transform economy and the healthcare system at the 'Silver Health & Economy: New Demographics, New Opportunities' session.
ON THE RECORD
EIT Health CEO, Jan Philipp-Beck, said: “It’s vital that we’re innovating now, to develop life-changing products and services for older people that will improve their lives, and also allow them to keep actively participating in society.”
Monique Epstein, founder and director of patient association e-Seniors, an EIT Health partner, said: “We need to empower seniors with digital tools in order to keep them as an integral and active part of our society, to increase their quality of life and have them co-create and design the online tools and services of the future; especially in the e-health domain.”
