City4Age has achieved in 3 years (December 2015-November 2018) a number of important results:
• Overall approach and modelling: an original model has been developed, based on well-established geriatric instruments. The model allows making a “geriatric sense” of the elementary data (collected through various technologies), leading them back to 10 main geriatric factors. The model allows going from raw data, their translation into daily/monthly “measures”, to a number of sub-factors (43) and eventually (10) geriatric factors.
• Data collection: various technologies have been either developed or adapted from market solutions. Sensors, beacons, mobile devices, wearable, smart-meters, existing data sets, etc., have been deployed. The original contribution by City4Age is an “harmonization” middle layer, allowing to translate data collected in various ways into measures and then geriatric factors.
• Shared Repository: after proper anonymization, data were replicated in a common repository where millions of elementary data and more than 1 million of “measures” have been collected and made available to outside researchers.
• Data Interpretation: various tools have been developed for interpreting behavioural data in a geriatric sense (in view of MCI/Frailty). Interpretation can be performed at various levels, from basic measures, to geriatric (sub-)factors, to overall conditions. An interactive dashboard allows an effective in-depth analysis. Data analytics support general understanding of data.
• General Intervention: City4Age has developed an original approach and an original piece of technology to deliver profiled and persuasive intervention messages. A comprehensive behavioural model (about how to influence behaviour of elderly subjects) has led to the development of various tools, covering all aspects: design, library of resources, intervention creation and customization, delivery. When intervention was fully deployed (more than 150 mgs per individual, per month), it was highly appreciated by the elderly care-recipients.
• Data-Driven Intervention: also data, at proper level of interpretation, have been incorporated in the intervention. Individuals and their families receive basic data; their social networks (e.g. friends, social assistants, local pharmacies, …) receive warnings on relevant behaviour changes; care-givers receive only risk notifications.
• Social prevention: An original approach to prevention has been developed where various actors are involved, with different roles and capacities.
• Library of Solutions: all the solutions generated by the project have been collected in a library that can be used by any city wishing to develop a “City4Age installation”.
• Deployment: City4Age has been deployed in Athens, Birmingham, Lecce, Madrid, Montpellier and Singapore. They have collected millions of data within a common framework. Each city was able to adapt the installation to its specific context and requirements.
• User Involvement and validation: elderly citizens have been involved by the pilot installations. Their participation was very active and they have highly appreciated the work done. Local geriatricians and staff were also actively involved, contributing to the evolution of the project.
• Exploitation solutions: various business models for prevention services have been developed, showing that prevention is possible and feasible in a sustainable way for Europe.