PROMISE - Bringing the benefits of the Information Society to the elderly and disabled
The PROMISE project, a project supported by the Commission's Information Society Project Office (ISPO), is aimed at disseminating and demonstrating best practice in Information Society applications for the elderly and disabled. Living and working in the Information Society is becoming an increasingly important aspect of daily life in Europe. In parallel with this, the European population is ageing and people are living longer. For older people and disabled people, making up more than 20% of the population, many of the applications and services of the Information Society provide important opportunities for support in maintaining independence, and increase participation and integration into society. The PROMISE project is compiling an information resource providing a repertory of initiatives and projects and examples of good practice aimed at bringing the benefits of the Information Society to this specific sector of the population. This will soon be published as a set of case studies designed for broad dissemination. It will provide a valuable resource for all those interested in how best to use the applications and services of the Information Society to improve the integration and quality of life of the elderly and disabled. The examples identified cover areas such as interpersonal communication (by voice, text, video, symbols and other media), solutions to accessibility issues (ranging from well-designed telephones to Web pages suitable for visually impaired persons), new services and supports (such as teleshopping and telecare) and new opportunities to participate in work and education (such as teleworking and distance learning).