Feasibility of a wireless health monitoring system for prevention and health assessment of elderly people

The work presented in this paper comprises the methodology and results of a pilot study on the feasibility of a wireless health monitoring system designed under main EU challenges for the promotion of healthy and active ageing. The system is focused on health assessment, prevention and lifestyle promotion of elderly people. Over a hundred participants including elderly users and caregivers tested the system in four pilot sites across Europe. Tests covered several scenarios in senior centers and real home environments, including performance and usability assessment. Results indicated strong satisfactoriness on usability, usefulness and user friendliness, and the acceptable level of reliability obtained supports future investigation on the same direction for further improvement and transfer of conclusions to the real world in the healthcare delivery.

Ageing Modernity: Growing old in the EU in the 21st Century. EU Centre in Singapore Background Brief No. 7, December 2012

How do urban growth and an ageing population affect or inform planning at the national and regional level in the European Union? At a time when economic stagnation, environmental concerns and demographic changes are affecting social and political discourses, they are also influencing urban form and development. Furthermore, as people are living longer, they still have much to contribute in their later years to their communities and to the economy. As a result, the policy and urban design paradigm is shifting as the relative importance of older people grows. By looking at the connections between ageing, design and the environment, and the role of policy and planning strategies, this brief seeks to understand how the EU plans for an ageing population and attempts to reshape communities in an increasingly challenging socioeconomic context. This brief looks at some of the regional initiatives and guidelines and highlights the role the EU is playing in influencing some of the development trends, particularly those in urban centres.

Bioethical perspectives for ageing: the documents produced by the Ethics Councils

Aging attracted keen interest in research, health, education as well as cross-sectors approaches. We researched what has been produced by the National Bioethics/Ethics Councils in the form of opinions or other documents, relating to aging and elderly people. In the websi-tes of the 28 EU councils and 12 other countries, we identified 4 documents relating to aging and 8 opinions, which we analyse. The Councils have proposed to draw the attention and reflection of public opinion to the elderly condition; all agree that the age has its own traits and that matters revert to a “culture of old age”, respect and promotion of a positive aging. Enhance the diversity of modes of aging and the importance of preparing all, promoting literacy for aging, creating social and legal protective elements (Elderly Statute, Observatory of the Elderly Conditions). From the analysis, a set of principles and bioethical elements: [1] respect for human dignity, regardless of the stage of life; [2] recognition of the person’s situation uniqueness to aging; [3] freedom of one’s own decision, which is materialized in respect for autonomy; [4] recognition of the vulnerabilities of the elderly, [5] ethical commitment and social responsibility in monitoring the elderly, [6] non-discrimination by age and [7] the guidance to the conditions of the integral good and quality of life. Aging is an existential step for which we can prepare, on the assumption that human life in its longevity, interweaves those who are older and those younger, on the crucial issue of human existence.

Trends in the use of hospital beds by older people in Australia: 1993-2002

Objective: To determine trends in use of Australian acute hospital inpatient services by older patients. Design and data sources: Secondary analysis of hospital data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in the period 1993-94 to 2001-02, with population data for this period from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Outcome measures: Population-based rates of hospital separations and bed utilisation. Results: The Australian aged population (65 years and older) increased by 18% compared with total population growth of 10%, yet the proportion of hospital beds occupied by older patients remained stable at 47%. The most substantial changes were observed in the population aged 75 years and older, with separations increasing by 89%, length of stay reducing by 35% and bed utilisation increasing by 23%. However, rates of bed utilisation (in relation to population) declined among older groups (10% decline in per capita use in population 75 years and older), but increased in the younger population (1% increase in per capita use in people younger than 65 years). Conclusion: Important trends in use of inpatient services were identified in this study. These trends are contrary to common perception. Ageing of the Australian population was not associated with an increase in the proportion of hospital beds used by older patients.

Population ageing and the implications for finanical markets

How will financial institutions respond to the transactions and asset management needs of both the ageing population and their carers? The ageing of the population has generated increased interest from both government and business, including banking and financial services, in the sorts of services that will be required by older people, and how their money and property will be managed. This article examines the trends and implications for banking practice of this increasing population of customers and their carers.

New networked technologies and carers of people with dementia: an interview study

Dementia is one of the greatest contemporary health and social care challenges, and novel approaches to the care of its sufferers are needed. New information and communication technologies (ICT) have the potential to assist those caring for people with dementia, through access to networked information and support, tracking and surveillance. This article reports the views about such new technologies of 34 carers of people with dementia. We also held a group discussion with nine carers for respondent validation. The carers' actual use of new ICT was limited, although they thought a gradual increase in the use of networked technology in dementia care was inevitable but would bypass some carers who saw themselves as too old. Carers expressed a general enthusiasm for the benefits of ICT, but usually not for themselves, and they identified several key challenges including: establishing an appropriate balance between, on the one hand, privacy and autonomy and, on the other: maximising safety; establishing responsibility for and ownership of the equipment and who bears the costs; the possibility that technological help would mean a loss of valued personal contact; and the possibility that technology would substitute for existing services rather than be complementary. For carers and dementia sufferers to be supported, the expanding use of these technologies should be accompanied by intensive debate of the associated issues.

The impact of ageing on the barriers to drug delivery

Generally, we like to see ageing as a process that is happening to people older than ourselves. However the process of ageing impacts on a wide range of functions within the human body. Whilst many of the outcomes of ageing can now be delayed or reduced, age-related changes in cellular, molecular and physiological functionality of tissues and organs can also influence how drugs enter, distribute and are eliminated from the body. Therefore, the changing profile of barriers to drug delivery should be considered if we are to develop more age-appropriate medicines. Changes in the drug dissolution and absorption in older patients may require the formulation of oral delivery systems that offer enhanced retention at absorption sites to improve drug delivery. Alternatively, liquid and fast-melt dosage systems may address the need of patients who have difficulties in swallowing medication. Ageing-induced changes in the lung can also result in slower drug absorption, which is further compounded by disease factors, common in an ageing population, that reduce lung capacity. In terms of barriers to drug delivery to the eye, the main consideration is the tear film, which like other barriers to drug delivery, changes with normal ageing and can impact on the bioavailability of drugs delivery using eye drops and suspensions. In contrast, whilst the skin as a barrier changes with age, no significant difference in absorption of drugs from transdermal drug delivery is observed in different age groups. However, due to the age-related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes, dose adaptation should still be considered for drug delivery across the skin. Overall it is clear that the increasing age demographic of most populations, presents new (or should that be older) barriers to effective drug delivery. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.