ABSTRACT
There is a growing need to address the living conditions of the aged in many industrialized societies. Current health care and pension systems are already heavily burdened, and this situation will only worsen as the number of elderly increase over the next decades. At the same time, single member households are on the rise: one out of eight persons in the European Union is a single adult living alone. With the advent of the internet and particularly the mobile phone, information and communication technology (ICT) has become the most intimate form of technology that we use today. Given its vital role in daily life and society, together with its potential for health and safety applications, ICTs present an extraordinary opportunity to enhance the overall quality of life for the aged. This introduction also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
