Electronic Emergency Safeguards

Abstract

Germany is challenged by the phenomenon of aging societies with increasing risks of age-related diseases that frequently result in the general loss of the ability to lead an independent, self-determined life. Instead of continuing to focus on the provision of care in nursing homes, the public should be concentrating its efforts on preserving elders’ independence in their own homes for as long as possible. We claim that electronic systems designed to assist people in their day-to-day lives, which make use of ambient intelligence technology, have the potential to promote “aging in place.” As an example of an electronic life-assistance system, we describe the architecture and operation of an emergency safeguard system developed as part of the EU project EMERGE.