This was the world-wide first fully interactive (CATV-based) HomeCare and Telemonitoring service. Its objectives were to analyse the opportunities offered by modern ICT to improve the ability of older and mobility-impaired people to live independently, to demonstrate new strategies to reduce the load on social and home care service resources, to gain experience in new technologies, and to experiment with a new service organisation.
Work on this pilot started already in 1989. It became operational in early 1991. Its location is in a residential area the development of which dates back to the early 1920’s. 17 older per-sons (aged 70 to over 90) in 15 households were connected who, in most cases, had been living there for 40 years and more. They were self-selected; on average they were more iso-lated and less mobile than other people of the same age living in the same area. Service components included remote care; information and assistance; emergency, counselling, training and exercise services.