The aging of civilization in the developed countries, and many developing countries, that are considered technically advanced, is well underway. Some developed countries, such as the United States, are beginning to realize the need to create alternative and innovative methods of caring for, and maintaining, the functioning and health needs of the elderly, in the absence of sufficient numbers of younger indigenous caretakers, within these aged population countries. The need to import and train sufficient labor, including social work practitioners, to operate existing social institutions and care for the aging is creating a number of general social problems According to (International Wealth Solutions, 2008) the world population, of above age 65 years, was expected to increase from 6.9% in the year 2000 to 19.3% by the year 2050. However, population growth is expected to slow with decreases in fertility rates. The already large aging population in the United States, estimated at 12.3% in the year 2000, will be increasing to 21.1% and peaking earlier by the year 2035. As a result, there may be insufficient numbers of available laborers to service either the needs of the elderly, or in some cases, society as a whole. Emerging technologies show promise of bridging the service needs gap created by these demographic challenges. These include medical sensor technologies designed to improve independent living options (Smith, 2008), integrated sensor design platforms, and the combining of environmental health and activity monitoring systems (Mazzù, Scalvini, Giordano, Frumento, Wells, Lokhorst, & Glisenti, 2008), and the proposed the fusion of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag (Niemeijer, Alistair; Hertogh & Cees, 2008) which could be coupled with an infra-red system (Professional Engineering, 2004) and acoustic systems to provide more effective monitoring (Istrate, Vacher, Serignat, Besacier & Castelli 2006), and information and communication (ICT) technologies,

1. Randall E. Basham Ph.D.
School of SocialWork
The University ofTexas at Arlington
Texas, U.S.A.
Human Service Information Technology Applications (husITa)
Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development 2014
Melbourne, Australia

2.  Technology tends to follow… though
attempts to anticipate human need. The
resultant social and engineering apparatus is
not always that which is imagined.

3.  The aging of civilization in the developed countries, and many
developing countries, that are considered technically advanced, is well
underway. Some developed countries, such as the United States,
Australia, the United Kingdom and others are beginning to realize the
need to create alternative and innovative methods of caring for, and
maintaining, the functioning and health needs of the elderly, in the
absence of sufficient numbers of younger indigenous caretakers, within
these aged population countries. The need to import and train sufficient
labor, including social work practitioners, to operate existing social
institutions and care for the aging is creating a number of general social
problems.

4.  According to (International Wealth Solutions,
2008) the world population, of above age 65
years, was expected to increase from 6.9% in the
year 2000 to 19.3% by the year 2050. However,
population growth is expected to slow with
decreases in fertility rates. The already large
aging population in the United States, estimated
at 12.3% in the year 2000, will be increasing to
21.1% and peaking earlier by the year 2035. As a
result, there may be insufficient numbers of
available laborers to service either the needs of
the elderly, or in some cases, society as a whole.

5.  Developed and developing nations have sought various solutions,
other than technology, to meet the increasing demand for more
service providers, and professionals, to address the needs of the
aging portion of their respective populations (Atul, 2006), as well
as, to address the more immediate needs of increasing the overall
supply of manpower to service their respective economies. These
attempted manpower solutions, have included a loosening of
immigration policy (Weil, 2002), various manpower retraining
programs (Carmel, & Lowenstein, 2007), and changes in labor
policy directed at increasing overall labor outputs (Brown, &
Braun, 2008). Yet, the alteration of immigration policies, labor
laws, and vocational training initiatives, has not kept pace with the
service needs of the aging populations of the developed and
developing countries (Canadian Business, 2002 pN).

6.  Emerging technologies show promise of bridging the service
needs gap created by these demographic challenges. These
include medical sensor technologies designed to improve
independent living options (Smith, 2008), integrated sensor
design platforms, and the combining of environmental
health and activity monitoring systems (Mazzù, Scalvini,
Giordano, Frumento, Wells, Lokhorst, & Glisenti, 2008), and
the proposed the fusion of a radio frequency identification
(RFID) tag (Niemeijer, Alistair; Hertogh, Cees, 2008) which
could be coupled with an infra-red system (Professional
Engineering, 2004) and acoustic systems to provide more
effective monitoring (Istrate, Vacher, ; Serignat, Besacier, .&
Castelli, 2006), and information and communication (ICT)
technologies.

7. Speed of Population Aging (Source: Japan Ministry of Health and Welfare)
The values represent the
number of years required or
expected for percent of
population aged 65 or over to
rise from 7% to 14%.

8.  From 1900 to 1995 females in developed
countries have added more than 30 years to
their life expectancy
 In developed countries, not only do more
people survive to old age, but those who do
can expect to live longer than their
predecessors
 The over 80 population is the most rapidly
increasing population in many nations.
Source: library.thinkquest.org/.../life_expectancy.html

10.  In the United States, the baby boom
generation represents 76 million people.
 On January 1, 2011, as the baby boomers
begin to celebrate their 65th birthdays,
10,000 people will turn 65 every day—this will
continue for 20 years.
 By 2030 in the United States, about one in
five persons will be over 65.

11.  Figure 1: Model adapted from Hierarchy of Technology for Aging proposed by Coughlin and Lau, 2006.

12.  Emerging technologies show promise of
bridging the service needs gap created by
these demographic challenges.

13.  Emerging Technology: In home monitoring
of nutrition, fitness, chronic disease and
healthy behaviors
 medical sensor technologies designed to
improve independent living options for the elderly
(Smith, 2008),
 integrated sensor design platforms, and the
combining of environmental health and activity
monitoring systems (Mazzù, Scalvini, Giordano,
Frumento, Wells, Lokhorst, & Glisenti, 2008),

14.  Medical sensor technologies: See
http://semiconductors.globalspec.com/Industri
 Integrated sensor design platforms: See
https://fedcsis.org/proceedings/2011/pliks/96.p

15.  Emerging Technology: RFID sensors,
remote video, audio, and biosensors
 the proposed fusion of a radio frequency
identification (RFID) tag (Niemeijer,& Hertogh,
2008) which could be coupled with an infra-red
system (Professional Engineering, 2004)
 and acoustic systems to provide more effective
monitoring (Istrate, Castelli, Vacher, Besacier, &
Serignat, 2006)

16.  RFID sensors, remote video, audio, and
biosensors See:
http://www.sensorsmag.com/sensors/article/siteI
 Acoustic sensors See:
http://www.dh.aist.go.jp/en/research/enabling/

17.  Emerging Technology: Innovations in community
design, transportation and communication.
 becoming an increasingly popular alternative to age-
segregated retirement communities. Three new models of
aging in place - naturally occurring retirement
communities (NORC-SSPs), villages and campus-affiliated
communities (Bookman, A., 2008)
 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, enacted in August 2005,
(Granda, T. & Thompson, S. (2006)
 and information and communication (ICT) technologies
configured to improve emotional support and socialization
Magnusson, Hanson, & Borg, M., (2004).

18.  community design, transportation and
communication See:
http://ntl.bts.gov/DOCS/livbro.html
 See:
http://www.seniortransportation.net/Resourc
esPublications/AssistedTransportation.aspx
 See: YouTube - Smart Table - Communication
system for elderly

19.  Emerging Technology: Cognitive retraining
software, technology to promote lifelong
learning and productivity
 Computer-assisted cognitive retraining (CACR)
can be an effective adjunct to a comprehensive
program of cognitive rehabilitation (Lynch,
2002).
 Establishment of a lifelong learning society for
older adults; Importance of educating older
adults about information technology (Tielen,
1998)

20.  Cognitive retraining See:
http://www.neuropsychologycentral.com/in
terface/content/links/page_material/softwa
re/software_links.html
 Lifelong learning See:
https://www.seniornet.org/

21.  Emerging Technology: Transfer of
knowledge and heritage to enrich younger
generations
 dealing with the challenge of the risk of
knowledge loss in the aging population and
presents three cases studies from Lincoln
Financial Services, IBM Corp. and Mitre Corp.
(Foster, 2005).

22.  Knowledge transfer See:
http://ajbasweb.com/old/ajbas/2014/Specia
l%202/469-477.pdf
 Heritage transfer: See
http://www.familytreemaker.com/

23.  Safety technologies
 Fall detection and
prevention
 Wearable
 Housed in environment
 Appliance use detectors
 Fire detection and
prevention
 Door security
 Wander management
 Health and wellness
 Monitoring
 Wearable
 Environmental/ not worn
 Hybrid
 Telemedicine/Tele-
health
▪ Ambulatory monitors
(worn)
▪ Purely interactive
▪ Video phones
▪ Passive Environmental

24.  Medication
Compliance
 Cognition
 Stimulation and
entertainment
 Assessment
 Reminder systems
 Cognitive retraining
 Social Connectedness
 Phones/Cell phones
 Monitoring/social
connectedness
 Email and web systems
 Video
phones/Conferencing

25.  Contribution
Technology
 Maintenance of physical
and intellectual
functioning
 Lifelong learning and
retraining
 Monetary value
exchange for
accumulated
competencies
 Legacy Technology
 Wealth and property
transfer
 Mentoring/ Skill and
knowledge transfer
 Social and cultural
transfer
 Historical perspectives
 Personal contexts

26.  Research, development, manufacturing and
distribution cost allocations for aging service
based technologies in a time of scarce
resources.
 Privacy, self determinism, informed consent,
and moral and religious factors affecting
utilization of technology.

27.  Social scientists, and service delivery
professionals are likely to experience a
number of ethical, moral, and values related
conflicts related to the implementation of
these technologies to include in part; client-
self determination, informed consent,
confidentiality and privacy issues, as well as,
cultural differences regarding their social
acceptability.

28.  These rapidly occurring shifts in population toward the
elderly will create new problems demands for the social
science and social service community of professionals as well
as the technology and engineering community.
 Increased demands to keep the elderly functional and
productive longer, able to cope with rapid technical changes
and have greater autonomy and access to resources is
paramount to sustaining a functional society.
 Demands on youth to accept greater responsibility for the
rapid transfer of knowledge and skills from seniors in need of
passing on critical legacy information, and developing
technologies to sustain the population will create substantial
social tension and values shift.

29.  Random selection or random assignment of elderly, aging in
place, in all large service agencies.
 Pre-evaluation of all subjects in experimental or control
conditions. Consider matching of demographic
characteristics.
 Provide a set of technology supports with and without
human supports (both conditions), that conform to meeting
needs per Mazlow’s Hierarchy for one to three years.
 Obtain subjects permission to collect quantitative and
qualitative indicators of health, sustainability and QOL.
 Maintain technology throughout and assess quarterly
indicators of change or difference between groups.

30.  Atul, G., (2006). Critical care workforce: A policy perspective. Critical Care Medicine,
 (34)3, pS7-S11.

 Bookman, A., (2008). Innovative models of aging in place: Transforming our communities for an aging population. Community, Work and Family
(11)4, pp419-438.

 Brown, C., & Braun, K., (2008). Globalization, women's migration, and the long-term-care workforce, Gerontologist, (48)1, p16-24.

 Carmel, S., & Lowenstein, A., (2007). Addressing a nation's challenge: Graduate programs in gerontology in Israel, Gerontology and Geriatrics
Education, (27)3, p49-63.

 Coughlin, J. & Lau, J. (2006). Cathedral Builders Wanted: Constructing a New Vision of Technology for Old Age Public Policy & Aging Report
(Volume 16, Number 1), 4-8.

 Foster, L., (2005). Confronting the global brain drain, KM Review (8)5, pp.28-31.

 Granda, T. & Thompson, S. (2006). The older driver comes of age. Public Roads, (96)4, p 4.
 H. Haron, S.M. Sabri and N. Jamil., Exploring Technology Use in Reminiscence for Elderly Knowledge Recall. Aust. J. Basic & Appl. Sci., 8(5): 469-
477, 2014

 International Wealth Solutions, (2008). Ageing Demographics, Retrieved, 21March, 2008 from:
http://www.iwslimited.com/ageingdemographics.html

 Istrate, D., Vacher, M., Serignat, J-F., Besacier, L., & Castelli, E., (2006). Remote monitoring sound system for distress situations detection
(English), ITBM-RBM, May2006, Vol. 27 Issue 2, p35-45

31.  Information extraction from sound for medical telemonitoring. IEEE Transactions on: Information Technology in Biomedicine, (10)2, pp. 264-274.

 Kaczmarek. M., Ruminski, J., Bujnowski, a., (2011 ) Multimodal platform for continuous monitoring of elderly and
 disabled, Proceedings of the Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems pp. 393–400, ISBN 978-83-60810-22-4
 Lynch, B., (2002). Historical review of computer assisted cognitive retraining. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. (17)5, pp. 446-458.
 Magnusson, L., Hanson, E. & Borg, M., (2004). A literature review study of Information and Communication Technology as a support for frail older
people living at home and their family carers. Technology and Disability, (16)4, pp. 223-235.

 Maslow, A. H. (1987). Motivation and Personality (3rd
. ed.). New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

 Mazzù, M., Scalvini, S., Giordano, A., Frumento,E., Wells, H., Lokhorst, K., & Glisenti, F., (2008). Wireless-accessible sensor populations for
monitoring biological variables. Journal of telemedicine and telecare, (14)3, pp. 135-137.
 National Center for Senior transportation: Retrieved 30 June 2014 form;
http://www.seniortransportation.net/ResourcesPublications/AssistedTransportation.aspx

 Niemeijer, A., & Hertogh, C., (2008). Implantable tags: don't close the door for aunt Millie! American Journal of Bioethics, (8)8, pp. 50-52(3).

 Smith, C., (2008) Technology and web based support. American Journal of Nursing: September 2008 supplement, (108) p64-68.
 Senior Net Retrieved: 30June, 2014 from: https://www.seniornet.org/

 Tielen, G. (1998). Integrating senior citizens into the information society. Aging International, (24)2/3, pp143-154.

 The trouble with old age. (2 February, 2004). Canadian Business, (77)3, pN.

 Weil, P., (2002). Towards a Coherent Policy of Co–Development, International Migration, (40)3, p41-56.

32.  Your thoughts!