For the first time in human history, the number of people over the age of 60 exceeds that of children under the age of 5 and in 2050, it is expected that the elderly population will represent about 2 billion people.
We are living longer but this does not necessarily mean that we are living longer in good health. Indeed, people who experience chronic diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular disease or arthritis, the most are over 60. While it is possible to delay mortality, all these pathologies directly impact the quality of life of these individuals and their families. This is why some indices have started to measure life expectancy in good health rather than life expectancy alone. Our elders are not all in good health and this is becoming a growing public health challenge.
In order to limit the development of chronic diseases as much as possible, we need to figure out how to prevent them from developing through physical exercise and a healthy diet for example. Nowadays, it is also possible to better monitor our health thanks to connected objects that can measure vital parameters like blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and meal frequency. These simple objects can help us develop a history of our health and anticipate a growing problem or accident (stroke, hypertension, shortness of breath, physical resistance, …).
As we age, installing sensors at home to monitor our daily activities and alert our loved ones in the event of an accident like a fall can also help us live at home for as long as possible while reassuring our family and friends.
Mathilde B.
Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA from Pexels
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments on this article.