By 2020, 25% of the EU's population will be over 65. To respond to this growing demographic challenge, the European Union Council of Ministers approved, on 23 June 2008, a European Commission (EC) plan to make Europe a hub for developing digital technologies designed to help older people to continue living independently at home. In its press statement, the EC referred to the empirica initiated and led MobilAlarm project as one of two exemplary research results in this field: "EU research and innovation in this area has already a successful track record in creating innovative ICT solutions for elderly people. [A good example is] MobilAlarm, a tracking service allowing older persons to initiate an alarm call and get support whenever and wherever they need or want to do so."

This highly successful project was partially funded by the eTEN Programme.

Details on the new European Union Joint Research Programme, called "Ambient Assisted Living" (AAL) Programme, can be found here.

MobilAlarm final report

31 August 2005, Munich, Bonn, Sevilla, Rotherham, Valencia, Karlsruhe - After 18 succesful month the project presents its final public report.

Download final report

eMentoring the Accession Countries

On May 12, at the eMentoring the Accession Countries (eMAC) Meeting at the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour (BMWA), the empirica-coordinated Mobilalarm project (www.mobilalarm-eu.org) was presented by Reinhold Mainz, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Security, as "Best-Practice for eTEN Projects". It succinctly illustrates key elements and processes for a successful eTEN market evaluation project. The overall presentation focused on "eHealth Projects in Germany - funded by eTEN -".
At the same meeting, also the empirica-led Support Action (SA) for an "Interoperability Initiative for a European eHealth Area" (the so-called i2-Health project; www.i2-health.org) was presented as another "best practice" for eTEN studies involving a wide variety of relevant stakeholders.

Presenation of Reinhold Mainz

MobilAlarm conference

4 August 2005, Munich - Beside project partners, a selected audience of actual and potential service partners, marketing experts and user group representatives participated in the conference. 35 people from the three MobilAlarm consortium countries – Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain – were present. The conference was meant to be a foundation stone for introducing the MobilAlarm service to the market. All attendees considered the conference as very informative and successful.

Download press release on the conference

Midterm Dissemination Event during 1st European Silver Economy Conference

17th/ 18th February 2005, Bonn - During the first European Silver Economy Conference the MobilAlarm project presented its work to nearly 600 praticipants.

Three presentations can be downloaded here:

FASS - Andalusian Social Services Foundation

Attendo Systems - MobilAlarm – a location-independent emergency service for old and disabled people

Attendo Response - The Future Role of the Response Centre in the UK – Value Added Services

For more information about the Silver Economy Conferenc you can visit the following website:
http://www.silvereconomy-europe.org

Successful Review

Impressions from the successful MobilAlarm review meeting with the European Commission on 25 February 2005 at FASS in Seville, Spain:

MobilAlarm Review meeting in Seville

MobilAlarm Review Meeting at the Junta de Andalucia

eTEN project of the month

Brussels, Belgium: 1st February 2005 - The European Community eTEN programme selected MobilAlarm as the “project of the month” in February 2005. A presentation of MobilAlarm including issues being addressed, objectives and achievements can be viewed at europa.eu.int/eten. eTEN works by giving financial assistance to consortia consisting of public and private organisations, enabling them to make e-services available across the European Union. The programme focuses particularly on the critical validation and launch phases of a service, when assumptions about the operating costs and the potential revenues, cost savings and public benefits are put to the test.
For more information about eTEN you can visit the following website:
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/activities/eten/index_en.htm

Parkinson Case Study released

While investigating the usability of its service, the MobilAlarm project talked to the founder and president of the German Parkinson Self Help Group, Lothar Jennrich-Gugel. He is affected by the Parkinson disease himself so that he knows best about the necessity of a mobile alarm service:

Link to Parkinson Case Study

The pilot project of Mobile Helpline Service (MobilAlarm) for elderly people will start at the end of this year

Andalusia, 28/ July / 2004 - The Andalusian Autonomous Governing Councillors for Equality and Social Welfare visited the Andalusian Helpline Service (S.A.T.), the greatest of its kind in Spain.

The Andalusian Autonomous Governing Councillor for Equality and Social Welfare, Micaela Navarro, today announced a pioneering pilot project of Mobile Helpline Service for elderly people. This project will start at the end of this year. It allows to determine the geographic location of the user while he or she is outside.
During the visit to the Andalusian Helpline Service (S.A.T.), the Councillor explained that the project will begin with 50 users. These users will receive a small unit, similar to a mobile phone. It combines GPS technology (Global Positioning System) and the GSM mobile radio network, allowing o locate users while they are outside and to communicate with the control centre of the service.
With this service it is tried to enhance the autonomy of dependent people, to bring more peace of mind to them and their families while they are outside of their home, to broaden the scope of activities when facing emergency situations, and to encourage them to stay within their social environment with the highest degree of security and safety. This initiative is funded by the eTEN programme of the European Commission and includes further partners from Germany and the United Kingdom.

The Andalusian Helpline Service (S.A.T.)- the largest of its kind in Spain - has currently 26,194 users, over 79.82% are women, and at the end of this year it will have about 30,000. 13% of the users are aged between 65 and 69, 24% are between 70 and 74 years old, 28% are between 75 and 79, 25% are between 80 and 84, and 10% are more than 85 years old. Altogether, the service has received 223,359 emergency calls.

Kick-Off Meeting of new MobilAlarm eTEN project

Bonn, 23 March 2004, empirica. - On March 22/23, the official kick-off meeting of the new empirica-led project MobilAlarm took place in Ismaning near Munich. The goal of this project is to validate in three European markets (Germany, Spain and UK) the technical, organisational, economic and financial characteristics of an innovative, location-independent, trans-European alarm service which enables its customers - older people, chronically ill, other persons at risk - to initiate an alarm call whenever and wherever he/she needs or wants to do so. It will improve the quality of life and support the independent living of its final clients, and provide new business opportunities for social care service providers. - Financial support is provided by the European Union eTEN Programme.

Flyer available

Bonn, Germany: 15th June 2004, empirica - The project has published a comprehensive, multicoloured flyer in English, Spanish and German languages. If you are interested in the flyer you can order it by mail or download it as Adobe Acrobat file via the following links:

English (*.pdf): low resolution (158 kb) - high resolution (524 kb)

Spanish (*.pdf): low resolution (158 kb) - high resolution (524 kb)

German (*.pdf): low resolution(158 kb) - high resolution (524 kb)

2nd Project Consortium Meeting

Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain: 1st/2nd July 2004, FASS - The project held its 2nd project consortium meeting in Sevilla at the Fundación Andaluza de Servicios Sociales. FASS is a public full service provider for social care in Andalusia, Spain. One of its offerings is the provision of response or teleassistance services to all older people in the autonomous region of Andalucia.
FASS provided project participants with a comprehensive overview of its activities. A key element of its service portfolio is the tele-assistance service presently provided to more than 30,000 older people and growing by about 1,000 customers per month. Components include an alarm service, a social communications and care service, and a basic repair and maintenance service. For certain older people below a given income level the basic service is available free of charge. – Later on, this presentation was complemented by a visit to the 24/7 service centre and a life demonstration of services provided.
During their project meeting, partners discussed an initial draft of the market analysis deliverable, particularly issues regarding key target customer groups and the conditions and specific requirements/opportunities in the three regional/national markets. Similarly, dissemination planning for the three markets was an important topic. However, most time was spent on an highly interactive, well-prepared workshop on issues of user requirements concerning device functionalities and features, service centre software and those arising from various specific user groups to be targeted by the service. Details of the three markets were analysed in three focus groups and brainstorming sessions composed respectively of team members from all three countries. All results were marked down on large sheets of paper reflecting the respective work flow and service delivery process chains, supplemented by paper cards recording further details, specific action points etc., and later presented to all consortium members. The results will become integrated into various deliverables to the European Commission.
Ahead of initial scheduling, Attendo Systems and FASS presented also a pre-trial installation of the MobilAlarm system at the premises of the FASS tele-assistance centre. When a person located in Madrid initiated an alarm call, the exact GPS coordinates where successfully transmitted to Sevilla and appeared in less than a minute on the screen of the service person, and a good quality speech connection via GSM was accomplished. Next steps will involve integrating electronic mapping software (geographic information systems - GIS) and implementing the system at other locations. First trials are expected to commence in early September after the summer break.