Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
relative have the ISISEMD services installed and our relative can keep on doing everyday activities
and plan their days, independently. “
10. Conclusion
ISISEMD platform with innovative intelligent services is scalable, open-system, validated
in real-live environment. The competitive advantage of ISISEMD systems is that it is
based on a modular scalable open platform that advances the State-Of-the-Art in the areas
of systems for Ambient Assisted Living and can be integrated with other Health or Care
Systems. Additional services can be included anytime, resulting in a very powerful
platform system.
Last but not least, ISISEMD services have been extensively tested and validated in a pilot
operation with 142 end-users (71 elderly and 71 relatives) for 15 months in four regions - in
Denmark, Finland, Greece and UK. The final user evaluations, carried out in June 2011,
showed high level of user acceptance and satisfaction with the services and willingness to
use them after the project ends.
We knew that sceptical users are stoppers against introduction of new technologies. But our
experience shows that the elderly and their relatives accept the technology and can see the
opportunities for positive impact and added value from the use of the services in their
everyday life even when the older adults with mild dementia and their family care-givers
were sceptical in the beginning, after giving them time to get used to the technology. It can
be expected, that after about one month, the elderly and their family caregivers can get used
to the services. The most successful adoption of the services can happen when they are
offered as early as possible in the disease. In this way, the technology services can be
integrated in the coping and care strategies in the family and elderly has highest chances to
learn to refer to the services.
The benefits from using ISISEMD services were depicted in the user acceptance surveys,
contributing to the Quality of Life of the end-users. The services improved the elderly ability
for self-care by support for their basic daily activities in way that prevents health risks in
their homes and promotes independence. They strengthened the daily interaction with their
social sphere - partners and relatives, giving them the feeling of safety and improving their
relationships. For the family care-givers, the services increased their quality of life and the
feeling of safety; reduced their care burden and gave them a piece of mind while saving
them time and money.
Potential for direct savings from the usage of the ICT services is foreseen for both the care-
provider organisations and informal care-givers. Costs can be saved from time and travel
expenses for delivery of warm meals to elderly, performing on-line sessions with use of
video-call service instead of physical home-safety visits, visits for administering
medications, automatically registering information for such services, etc. The informal care-
givers can save time and money for making telephone calls to elderly to check about status
or to drive to elderly place or to cook meals for them. The highest potential for savings is at
a society level - with delaying the admittance in nursing or dementia care institutions where
savings at European level can range from approx. 1300-4000 euro for one person for 12
months.
