From red buttons to smart technology support: part 1

This handbook describes the development of services to support the independence and quality of life of older and disabled people through the use of smart support technologies. It describes the journey from social alarms (or Personal Emergency Response Systems) through three generations of telecare, to the present day where a digital transformation of services is becoming possible through the development of wearable sensors, cloud computing, broadband and mobile telephony. It will be of interest and relevance to a wide range of stakeholders in health, social care and housing services.