Intelligent houses for elders and handicapped to have an independent life

Abstract

The number of elders and handicapped is around 80 millions in the European Union, and this number supposedly will increase during the next few years. To have them live a better life includes having them independent, provide for them more social integration, increase their education, training and employment opportunities, and improve the availability and quality of health care and assistance. A social and cultural evolution must take place in the ways care is provided to this group, going from the actual situation which is paternalistic, authoritarian and centralized, to another able to be controlled by the own group. It is necessary to establish criteria on the life and health care quality, on the economy and how it has to be managed. Among others, investigations must be conducted on medical, social, economic, and technological aspects. As for Intelligent Houses this aspect will be a priority within, or oriented by, the previous ones. It is important to reinforce the design concept for all of them, taking into account the most common disabilities when designing appliances or services of general use.