Ageing and technologies - Creating a vision of care in times of digitization. Results of a fast-track process of the Joint Programming Initiative “More Years, Better Lives”

Demographic, epidemiological and societal changes are challenges to which all European countries are forced to find solutions. In addition, the so-called “digital transformation” is taking place, with digitization proceeding rapidly in all European countries, although with differing intensity and speed. With high expectations and hopes being placed on technical systems in health and social care, numerous innovations have been developed and piloted. However, for various reasons, many of these are not in regular use. Whereas technology is developing rapidly, policy, research and practice are advancing at a significantly slower pace, lagging behind the potential of technical innovations. To maximize the current and future benefits of technological innovation in the field of care, the Joint Programming Initiative “More Years, Better Lives – The Potential and Challenges of Demographic Change” has initiated a review and synthesis of knowledge, in the form of a “fast-track” project. Bringing in experts and stakeholders to collect available knowledge in a short time. This process aims to develop a common vision of care in times of digitization and explore what contribution new and emerging technologies can make to good life bearing in mind the critical role of care, health and welfare services as people age. This is designed to help guide policy development, resource allocation and research efforts in this field. Acknowledging the limited duration of the fast-track process, from March to October 2020, a pragmatic approach was taken. The project focuses on a challenge-driven perspective. The target audiences of this report are hence decision-makers in research policy, social policy and labour market policy, researchers and research funders addressing ageing, health and social care and technology, and tech companies active in that context. The coordination of the overall fast-track project has been funded by the Department of Interactive Technologies for Health and Quality of Life at the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and operationally supported by its funding agency VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH. In addition, the participants and authors of Chapters are funded by their countries.