NESTORE project is aiming at the creation of an ecosystem of coaching services for promoting the adoption of “countermeasures” to the physiological decline related to aging.
Aging is a complex process involving all human dimensions (multidimensional), so the deep analysis and knowledge about the human during ageing was one of the main actions at the beginning of the project. The outcomes are relevant to the project for providing a scientific basis and knowledge to design proper actions for Generating self-awareness (i.e. understanding risks associated with ageing) and for Supporting the healthy ageing process based on healthy nutrition and adequate personalized physical and mental coach, as well as social interaction, in order to prevent physical and cognitive decline and onset of new pathological conditions and to preserve mental wellbeing.
This knowledge has been integrated into a proper ontology which is also the interface to other platforms (e.g. UniversAAL).
To have an interactive and responsive and personalized intervention, NESTORE leverage on a multiparametric and multidimensional sensing layer to monitor physiological and behavioural data related to the five domains of wellbeing (i.e. physical, mental, cognitive, social and nutritional). In addition, in the NESTORE system, a dedicated App represents the logical sensing layer for monitoring cognitive abilities, such as memory performance or verbal fluency, and nutrition habits.
NESTORE is also exploiting the coaching strategy through the Pathway of interest concept: user preferences are targeted as main driver of the intervention selection. According to the user profile and status in each domain, it is also possible to modulate the intervention in single or combined domains and to keep or improve strategy to have a maximised fitting. NESTORE aims at enhancing and sustaining motivation, providing personalized target behaviours toward the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyle following the health action process approach (HAPA). The sensing layer makes possible to have a true individualized real-life approach rather than a mere population-based approach as provided by other App-based systems.
User needs and preferences were not only targeted for the design of coaching strategies, but they are embedded in all the project, given the reference and adopted co-design methodology that led all the system development. In particular, the strength of the participatory design that NESTORE followed is shown by the tangible interface and its functions and usability.
The multifunction tangible objects envisioned in the proposal is now a commercial reality (Google Home, Alexa, …) so we can say that we did a good forecast. To improve the actual systems NESTORE is embedding improved usability and sensors for indirect recognition of emotional and mental status.
From all the above we can really say that NESTORE system is a “multi-dimensional, cross-disciplinary and personalized coaching system that, leveraging ICT social connectivity, will support older people to maintain independence by encouraging them to become co-producers of their wellness” as originally written in the DoA.
The Analysis for defining the exploitation strategy and related plan is demonstrating a promising scenario where NESTORE, driven by science, has a great potential and added value. The NESTORE project, as well as the rest of the world research and human activities, was highly impacted by Covid-19 outbreak. but at the end of the journey NESTORE reached 76% of participation in pilot studies, that in this emergency in the major EU affected area is a good result in itself. NESTORE KPI were met and outcomes were widely disseminated and results and data structures are openly published and accessible through OpenAIRE (more than 24 peer reviewed publications, one book and several open reports).
Last, the NESTORE project ended with the high participation (more than 90 people) at the final online event the 25.02.2021. Participants included representatives of the European Commission and PM project coordinators.
