Understanding the activities and areas of concern of elderly population: The case of Singapore

There is a clear demographic trend towards a higher proportion of elderly population in most developed countries and economies. One of the key aspects related to aging is the continuation of high quality of living for elderly population. Such a goal can be achieved when elderly people are autonomous, independent and have lower risks for their health and safety. By means of a field study and personal interviews with four subjects from the identified age group, and a survey with 105 elderly participants, we have recorded their everyday instrumental activities and areas of concern, identifying actions that may pose risks to them and hence, require care and assistance. Based on our findings, we present several possibilities of smart technologies available on the market, which could be used for assisting elderly population to live a pleasant, independent, healthy and safer life in the Singaporean context.