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With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for seniors using e-health services.
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Did you know that 30 % of Europeans will be over 65 in 2060? Our population is ageing and the number of people with age-related impairments is expected to reach 84 million already in 2020.
To address the challenges posed by an ageing society, the EU promotes E-health solutions based on communication technologies to improve prevention, diagnosis, and patients’ treatment.
The EU funds several research projects in the field of telemedicine services for improving distant healthcare, especially for seniors living in remote or sparsely populated areas where there is a lack of specialised healthcare professionals. For instance, thanks to the CommonWell project, new solutions for a better monitoring of patients with heart failure were developed. Mobile Health services are also increasingly accessible using a mobile phone. For instance, apps can be used to remind you to take your medication or help administer insulin to a diabetic.
Service and care robots could also play a supportive role in the life of many patients and elderly people. That’s why the EU is funding research in robotics. Thanks to the Silver project, seniors can already purchase a robot to help them to walk better and stand up. The GrowMeUp Project is developing personal care assistant robots to help seniors and dependent or disabled people to live independently at home. Zacharias, a prototype robot, is being tested to assist people at home and will be able to alert your family or your doctor automatically in case of need.
Further information
- EPRS publication ‘How assistive technologies could make society more inclusive of people with disabilities’, 2018,
https://epthinktank.eu/2018/01/17/how-assistive-technologies-could-make-society-more-inclusive-of-people-with-disabilities/ - European Commission webpage on policies for ageing well with ICT,
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/ageing-well - European Commission webpage ‘Silver Economy strategy’,
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/growing-silver-economy-europe
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