Professor Juan Carlos López in RTVE's Universo Sostenible

El ARCO Research Group directed by Juan Carlos López, is carrying out an innovative project framed in a European program for active and healthy ageing. The main objective of this initiative is to guarantee assistance to the elderly regardless of their location, whether in residences or in their own homes.

The project, explains Juan Carlos, aims to "encourage independent living as long as possible“, even in rural areas where assistance services are scarce or non-existent. To this end, assistance is offered that can be online, so that the elderly feel accompanied and can consult with medical personnel when they need it.

The heart of this initiative is an innovative Internet of Things (IoT) platform that will be installed in nursing homes. This platform, explains J. Carlos, “will control and establish the life patterns of the elderly to detect if these patterns change“, which could indicate a problem.

In addition to monitoring the habits of the elderly, the platform will provide assistance in areas such as video conferencing with family members and direct access to medical personnel. Help will also be offered in physical rehabilitation processes through applications managed remotely by physiotherapists.

These applications will make it possible to control a series of exercises that older people must perform in their rehabilitation processes or to maintain an adequate physical shape.

This project is a significant step towards the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies in care for the elderly, addressing both their physical and emotional well-being. As Europe's population ages, initiatives like this are critical to ensuring our seniors can live active and healthy lives for as long as possible.