title: Tele-health services for the elderly: A novel southern Italy family needs-oriented model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The world population is aging. By 2050, the global population aged over 65 years will have doubled, leading to big societal challenges for ensuring healthy, independent, and productive lives for older people. Thus, innovative local and national initiatives for e-health services are growing in an attempt to overcome such problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the effects of a telehealth system, i.e. tele-monitoring of vital parameters and neurological/psychological tele-counseling, within a family-centred service provided by a local day centre. We evaluated the clinical and neurobehavioral symptoms of 18 elderly patients (aged 65 years and over) and the care burden of their 20 caregivers, besides the usability of the tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The one-way repeated analysis revealed a significant worsening in daily living activities (p < 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively for Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Independent IADL (IADL)) versus a significant improvement of the patients' psychiatric condition (p < 0.001), besides a significant gradual reduction of the caregivers burden (p < 0.001). Health status perception increased through time (from an average score of 5.67 ± 1.08 at baseline to 7.72 ± 1.32 at the end of the study).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that a telehealth system integrated in a local health care service may significantly improve elderly persons' behaviour, and also reduce the caregivers' burden.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino Pulejo', Italy.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: De Cola
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino Pulejo', Italy.
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino Pulejo', Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino Pulejo', Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertè
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino Pulejo', Italy.
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino Pulejo', Italy salbro77@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Rocco S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Calabrò
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000069537:Adult Day Care Centers; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Elderly-care model; system usability; tele-monitoring system