Health–Related ICT Solutions of Smart Environments for Elderly–Systematic Review

Abstract

By improving the quality of life and extending the length of life, Western society is becoming an increasingly ageing population with a higher proportion of seniors. From another point of view, there is a critical shortage of care staff, both in hospitals and for in-home care. Thanks to new technology trends such as Smart Homes and Smart Furniture, there is an opportunity for increased support for seniors by utilizing new technologies. This paper presents the current trends and possibilities in applying smart information and communications technology (ICT) solutions for in-home care concerning diseases in old age. The paper consists of a systematic review according to the PRISMA methodology of the available literature in Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Springer, and the Espacenet patent database. Publications report the usage of some types of artificial intelligence and their implementation and non-intrusive sensing technologies. The patents review identified solutions with a focus on monitoring the state of older adults and mobility improvement. Existing ICT smart solutions must address the following issues: (1) ease-of-use; (2) invisibility and disuse that isolate older adults; (3) privacy and security; (4) affordability of technology in terms of cost; and (5) supporting elderly individuals to stay in their homes or move in different environments independently. There is a significant gap between a large number of scientific publications and commercial solutions. The existing products reflect the specifics of the diseases in a rather wider context instead of the fulfilment of exact needs. It is often stated that such devices can be used across diseases, but the direct connection and benefits for the disease is still rather weak. The challenge remains to tap the existing potential of a large number of innovative ideas on the market and improve the quality of life.