Home of the Future

As the real estate sector in Dubai booms, so do associated businesses. One sector currently enjoying good growth on the back of the property frenzy is high-end consumer electronics, particularly for top of the range entertainment systems and smart homes.

The AGE General Assembly, which was held on 13-14 March 2008, has elected Elizabeth Mestheneos as its new President. Liz has worked in gerontological research since 1988 and was a founder member of the Greek SEXTANT research group that provided the stimulus and scientific basis for starting up the 50+ Hellas NGO. In the past two years of 50+ Hellas’s operation she has managed the organisation. Liz has served on the Council of AGE since 2003 and on the Executive Committee of AGE since 2005 as Vice-President. For the past year she has been acting Chair of AGE, a role the Council asked her to take on due to the sad and untimely death of the elected President Bart de Steur. Liz has a strong personal and professional commitment to ensuring that policies and programmes for older people make a real difference to their lives and are based on evidence and respond to their needs and wishes. AGE warmly welcomes its new elected President, and wishes her success during the 3 years that she will lead the organisation.

The advances in information, communication and micro — technologies are leading to the introduction of new devices that can transform our living environment. One of the most promising fields of applications for domotics is the home of elderly citizens, whose aim is to live independently. The challenge today is to integrate different domotic technologies into a service framework that is really useful and is sustainable in terms of financing: this article sets out to discuss a possible pathway to independent living.