The demographic changes taking place in the UK population and internationally are forcing major changes in the method of supporting independent lifestyle, particularly the management of long term conditions.

Between 2020 and 2030 the over 60s population in the UK will exceed 20m. Currently there are already more people over 60, than there are aged less than 18. But the need for lifestyle and healthcare support applies across all age groups.

That alternative healthcare support solutions must be sought is beyond dispute. For example, the increasing costs of managing Type II Diabetes will place an unsustainable burden of the national healthcare budget in the coming decades. This is only one of four long term conditions that will need to be more effectively managed.

Potential alternative methods for supporting independent lifestyle and managing long term conditions are integrated telecare and telehealth solutions, providing digital delivery of lifestyle services and healthcare management, thereby reducing demands on scarce social and clinical resource.

On November 26th 2009, a seminar organised by the Digital Communications Knowledge Transfer Network and hosted by De Montfort University at the National Space Centre, Leicester will look at the opportunity created by increasing deployment of assistive living technologies.

The seminar will address key issues of telecare & telehealth - or assistive living, including:
- What are assistive living solutions?
- The communications infrastructure for delivering assistive living solutions;
- Interoperability;
- The market for assistive living solutions.

This seminar will be of interest to everyone in the procurement, delivery, operation, management and maintenance of telecare & telehealth solutions in the community.

Further details and registration for this event are available from the Digital Communications KTN website (www.dcktn.org.uk).

Distributed on behalf of Digital Communications KTN by NeonDrum (http://www.neondrum.com)
Nicky Denovan
Tel: +44 7747 017654
nicky[at]neondrum[dot]com