Implementation of a pan-European ecosystem and an interoperable platform for Smart and Healthy Ageing in Europe: An Innovation Action research protocol

Abstract

As life expectancy continues to increase in most EU Member States, smart technologies can help enable older people to continue living at home, despite the challenges accompanying the ageing process. The Innovation Action (IA) SHAPES ‘Smart and Healthy Ageing through People Engaging in Supportive Systems’ funded by the EU under the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (grant agreement number 857159) attends to these topics to support active and healthy ageing and the wellbeing of older adults. This protocol article outlines the SHAPES project’s objectives and aims, methods, structure, and expected outcomes. SHAPES seeks to build, pilot, and deploy a large-scale, EU-standardised interoperable, and scalable open platform. The platform will facilitate the integration of a broad range of technological, organisational, clinical, educational, and social solutions. SHAPES emphasises that the home is much more than a house-space; it entails a sense of belonging, a place and a purpose in the community. SHAPES creates an ecosystem – a network of relevant users and stakeholders – who will work together to scale-up smart solutions. Furthermore, SHAPES will create a marketplace seeking to connect demand and supply across the home, health and care services. Finally, SHAPES will produce a set of recommendations to support key stakeholders seeking to integrate smart technologies in their care systems to mediate care delivery. Throughout, SHAPES adopts a multidisciplinary research approach to establish an empirical basis to guide the development of the platform. This includes long-term ethnographic research and a large-scale pan-European campaign to pilot the platform and its digital solutions within the context of seven distinct pilot themes. The project will thereby address the challenges of ageing societies in Europe and facilitate the integration of community-based health and social care. SHAPES will thus be a key driver for the transformation of healthcare and social care services across Europe.

ALTAI Tool for Assessing AI-Based Technologies: Lessons Learned and Recommendations from SHAPES Pilots

“…The current study is integrated into the SHAPES Project work group "SHAPES Legal, Ethics, Privacy and Fundamental Rights Protection," led by Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Laurea) [10]. The objectives are (1) to find a theoretical framework focused on AI-assisted technology in healthcare for older people living at home; (2) to assess the SHAPES pan-European pilots by the ALTAI tool; and (3) to derive ethical recommendations regarding AI-based technologies for ageing and healthcare.…”

“…Additionally, the public guidelines have no coherent and consolidated approaches for technology adoption by AI developers [9] and healthcare professionals. Recent studies have highlighted that healthcare professionals' (physicians and nurses) perceptions are a critical issue in adopting AI technologies (such as AAL) in healthcare delivery; the negative perception of the trustworthiness of AI is tantamount to a rejection of AI [10][11][12][13]. bordering on respondent demographics such as age and other items centered on perceptions of AI's impact on the future role of healthcare professionals and their professional preparedness.…”

“…Using digital solutions (and respective sociotechnical models) in the community and home (APPs, Voice Assistants, Sensors, Smart Wearables, Software, Medical Devices), older people, caregivers (formal and informal), and healthcare providers could be better integrated. Healthcare delivery could have a higher impact (e.g., preventive care, self-care, reducing costs and hospitalizations) [10].…”