ABSTRACT

Technological progress and changes in society, togetherwith an increasingly ageing population, especially in developedcountries, have demanded solutions to the problems linked to thisaging and the increasing number of elderly people. We describe twoassistive systems being currently developed and improved; the first one“Telegerontology®” is a gerontological resource that through theInternet, facilitates different functionalities at home or in institutionssuch as physical and cognitive intervention, and providing support toprofessionals. The second one “CompanionAble” consists of anintegrated system Smart-home and intelligent robot to give support to the elderly with mild cognitive impairment and their caregivers. Thesystem, which can move about in the home, incorporates functionalitiessuch as an application of cognitive stimulation, an event agenda and avideo-conference system. In conclusion, we consider that though theevolution of new technologies for the support of elderly and/or disabledpeople has experienced a great advance in the last years, and despitenew future system as Telegerontology® or CompanionAble, humanbeing support is still necessary for achieving their objectives. This fact isvery positive because we ensure the presence of a health professionalbehind each patient.