title: Contributions of ambient assisted living for health and quality of life in the elderly and care services--a qualitative analysis from the experts' perspective of care service professionals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because of the demographic change in industrial countries new technical solutions for the independent living of elderly will become important in the next years. Ambient Assisted Living seeks to address the upcoming challenges by providing technical aids for elderly and care givers. Therefore it is crucial to understand how those socio-technical solutions can address their needs and quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to analyse the main needs of dependent elderly and to investigate how different solutions can contribute to health and quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study design consisting of interviews with 11 professionals of geriatric care organisations was chosen. The data analysis was done by applying the qualitative content analysis by Philipp Mayring. The analysis was based on the basic principle of the bio-psycho-social model of health
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ambient Assisted Living solutions and assistive technologies can have positive impacts on different dimensions of health and quality of life. The needs and problems of elderly can be addressed by applying appropriate solutions which influence the physical, mental and social dimensions of quality of life. There are also benefits for social care providers, their staff and caring relatives of impaired elderly. Ambient Assisted Living solutions can also be used as a facilitator for operational optimization of care services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Solutions for telemedicine and telecare which are connected to Ambient Assisted Living solutions will have the biggest positive impact on care giving services. Also simple technical aids can be beneficial for elderly to enhance QOL by enabling autonomy in their familiar surroundings.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Centre for Public Health, Institute of Social Medicine, Kinderspitalgasse 15/1, Vienna 1090, Austria. christian.siegel@gmx.at.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hochgatterer
authors.forename: Thomas Ernst
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Dorner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000592:standards*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000592:standards*; D012944:Social Support