Ambient intelligence in home care in the Netherlands

Paper based in the report for the unit “Social Factors of Innovation” of the Master degree on Computer Sciences at Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, under the supervision of António Brandão Moniz

The largest age group in the Netherlands is aging and when they are in need of home care, there will not be enough people to take care of them in the current healthcare system. One solution could be found in Ambient Intelligence, for it could aid in maintaining independency and postpone the time that people have to go to a nursing home. Furthermore, it could make the job of the caretakers easier. There are pros and cons to use Ambient Intelligence in this delicate matter that will be discussed in this paper. Furthermore, the implications of employing Ambient Intelligence strategies in home care situations will be considered. The conclusions of a recent study by the Rathenau Institute will be used as the red thread, critically looked at and taken into consideration for the recommendations of how to implement Ambient Intelligence in home care.