Basic integrated home system functions for the elderly

       

Further reading

• Basic integrated home system functions for the elderly (1044)

With an ageing European population and there being fewer young people in the population, we will have to ensure that, where they wish to do so, the elderly can continue to live at home independently for longer. There are various ways this can be achieved but it is not the aim to swamp independent elderly people with a mass of unwanted technical gizmos they will probably never use, rather, in the first instance, professional social workers (the GP, district nurse, home help, volunteers, carers) will want to assess the individual’s needs to determine what techniques can be usefully applied to a specific case. As someone, for example, in a wheelchair will have different needs to someone who is in the early stages of dementia, this article will only address the basic, commonly relevant functions that can be applied to every home or apartment where the independent elderly live. We will also make a rough estimate of the costs.