\n<\/p>\n
By Alvise Armellini and Veronica Altimari<\/p>\n
ROME, June 28 (Reuters) – At 85, Dina Gazzella, a widow living in Rome, faces her days alone since losing her husband and her beloved cat. However, thanks to innovative technology, she doesn\u2019t feel abandoned.<\/p>\n
A team of social workers uses a special electronic bracelet to monitor her health. This device keeps track of her heart rate and sleep, and it also allows her to call for help if needed. It\u2019s part of a \u20ac400 million initiative to support elderly citizens in Rome, funded by the EU after COVID-19, currently benefiting approximately 700 seniors.<\/p>\n
Officials praise the bracelet as a vital tool for health, especially during Europe\u2019s severe heatwave, which has pushed temperatures in Rome into the high 30s. Clinical psychologist Piera Pomente highlights that elderly individuals face serious risks in this weather, as their blood pressure and heart rates often drop.<\/p>\n
This sleek black bracelet, worn like a watch, detects falls and tracks movement, both inside and outside Gazzella’s home. “If I feel unwell, this is a lifesaver,” Gazzella expressed, grateful for the added security.<\/p>\n
Despite her age, Dina remains active and cheerful, enjoying her day, sharing photos of her grandkids, whipping up espresso, and reminiscing about her recent community outing. She appreciates the peace of mind the bracelet provides.<\/p>\n
“They convinced me to get it because I live alone. If something happens, I know help will come,” she explained.<\/p>\n
Psychologist Pomente oversees the program at a local pharmacy, where applications are processed, and users’ data are managed. Although the bracelet is free, some seniors are hesitant due to potential privacy issues. Out of 70 initial participants, only about 45 remain, though Pomente is hopeful for more sign-ups.<\/p>\n
“We aren\u2019t spying on them; there are no cameras. We just want to help,” she clarified.<\/p>\n
Pierende Pomente\u2019s team works from Monday to Friday and monitors bracelet alerts during evenings and weekends, notifying family members. In the past year, they have successfully handled two emergencies, ensuring relatives were alerted and could provide assistance.<\/p>\n
On most days, it\u2019s about friendly chats. Social workers call routinely to check on medication intake, inquire about coping with the heat, or just lend an ear to those feeling lonely. “We want to help them share their thoughts and experiences,” Pomente stated.<\/p>\n
($1 = 0.8770 euros)<\/p>\n
(Reporting by Alvise Armellini and Veronica Altimari)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Smart Technology Supports Rome\u2019s Seniors: Wearables and Health Monitoring How Tech is Enhancing Elderly Care in Rome By Alvise Armellini and Veronica Altimari The Challenge of Loneliness ROME, June 28 (Reuters) – At 85, Dina Gazzella, a widow living in Rome, faces her days alone since losing her husband and her beloved cat. However, thanks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35872","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35872"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35872\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}