ICT 2014 - Special Issue on Innovative ICT-based Products, Services and Systems for Elderly People

Editor-in-Chief:
Dr. Edward Ciaccio
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
ejc6-AT-columbia.edu
http://www.journals.elsevier.com/computers-in-biol...
Guest Editor:
Dr. Athina Lazakidou
Assistant Professor of Health Informatics
University of Peloponnese, Dept. of Nursing, Sparta, Greece
E-mail: lazakid-AT-uop.gr
Introduction
The proportion of elderly people in Western countries is increasing forcing governments to consider strategies to support independent elderly living. Due to this demographic change there has been growing interest in investigating the elderly themselves as active content providers for their own everyday life supporting services. Elderly can, instead of a burden, been seen as resource. The consequence of increasing life expectancy and decreasing birth rates is an EU population that is becoming increasingly older. On the social side of this issue, it is important for all these people having the need to be supported in their daily-life-activities to remain integrated in social life - despite of their age and existing disabilities. On the economical side, ageing has enormous implications, since not only the income side of social schemes is affected but also expenditures: health care systems for instance, are concerned. Facing these challenges of ageing societies there exist areas of opportunity, where technological and social-economic innovation can enhance the quality of life of older and impaired people, mitigate the economic problems of an ageing population and create new economic and business opportunities.
Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) includes assistance to carry out daily activities, health and activity monitoring, enhancing safety and security, getting access to social, medical and emergency systems, and facilitating social contacts. Receiving social and/or medical support in various new intelligent ways consequently contributes to independent living and quality of life for many elderly and disabled people. Overall, AAL can improve the quality of life of elderly people at home and reduces the need of caretakers, personal nursing.
The proposed special issue focuses on Innovative ICT-based Products, Services and Systems for Elderly People
Overall Objectives and Mission
The proposed special issue will provide a compendium of terms, definitions and explanations of concepts, processes and acronyms. Additionally, this issue will feature papers (each paper consists of 6,000-8,000 words) authored by leading experts offering an in-depth description of key terms and concepts related to different areas, issues and trends in Innovative Technologies and Systems for Ambient Assisted Living.
The specific aims are to:
Foster the emergence of innovative ICT-based products, services and systems for ageing well at home, in the community, and at work, thus increasing the quality of life, autonomy, participation in social life, skills and employability of elderly people, and reducing the costs of health and social care.
Create a critical mass of research, development and innovation in technologies and services for ageing well in the information society, including the establishment of a favorable environment for participation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Improve conditions for industrial exploitation by providing a coherent European framework for developing common approaches and facilitating the localization and adaptation of common solutions which are compatible with varying social preferences and regulatory aspects at national or regional level.
The concept of Ambient Assisted Living is understood as:
to extend the time people can live in their preferred environment by increasing their autonomy, self-confidence and mobility;
to support maintaining health and functional capability of the elderly individuals,
to promote a better and healthier lifestyle for individuals at risk;
to enhance the security, to prevent social isolation and to support maintaining the multifunctional network around the individual;
to support caregivers, families and care organizations;
to increase the efficiency and productivity of used resources in the ageing societies.
Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
Innovative E-Health and Telemedicine Services, Applications and Products
ICT for the Management and Prevention of Chronic Conditions of Elderly People
ICT based solutions for Advancement of Social Interaction of Elderly People
ICT-based Solutions for Advancement of Older Persons’ Independence and Participation in the “Self-Serve Society"
ICT based solutions for Advancement of Older Persons’ Mobility
ICT-based Solutions for (Self-) Management of Daily Life Activities of Elderly People at Home
RFID Technologies for Smart Living Space
Wireless Technologies and Architectures for Health Monitoring Systems
Wireless Communication and Sensor Networks in Smart Living Space
Important Dates
Nov. 20th, 2013: Due date for paper submission
Dec. 20th, 2013: Notification of paper acceptance to authors
Jan. 30th, 2014: Final version of accepted papers
Guest Editor
Athina Lazakidou, PhD
Assistant Professor of Health Informatics
University of Peloponnese
Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life
Department of Nursing
Orthias Artemidos & Plateon
GR-23100, Sparti, GREECE
E-mail: lazakid-AT-uop.gr