Mobile applications in an aging society: Status and trends

Today, many countries, including several European states, the USA, and Japan. are aging: both the number and the percentage of elderly people are increasing. To create a cohesive and inclusive intergenerational society, technological products and services must be adapted to the needs and preferences of these citizens. Mobile phones are promising tools to improve the quality of life for the elderly. This work presents a review of the status of mobile functionalities and applications that can satisfy the requirements and needs of older people and improve their quality of life. This analysis of the state of the art enables us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current systems as well as discover trends and promising future lines of research. This paper outlines several needs that should be met to improve the quality of research in this area. This work provides a basis for researchers, designers, and mobile phone service providers to think about the existing needs of the elderly, the developing trends in the field and the opportunities that mobile applications offer to improve the quality of life of the elderly and to support a cohesive and inclusive society. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.