Are Italian Older Adults Ready for Gerontechnologies? Results from a Survey for Active and Healthy Ageing

This study aims to investigate the use of modern health technologies (personal computers, tablets, smartwatches, smart TVs, digital assistants, Artificial intelligence, Apps for wellness, nutrition and sport, smart clothing, subcutaneous devices, glucometer, pulse oximeter, ECG and spirometer), which can be used even without specific medical knowledge, by Italian citizens, the promotion and monitoring of health and wellness. The national study required the submission of a questionnaire, disseminated online using the Google Forms platform. 209 Italian citizens participated in the study, of whom only 190 were eligible, considering the inclusion criteria of the research programme. Based on the Active Ageing Index (AAI) programmed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the study involved people aged 55 and over. The results that emerged will be discussed in the article and will enable the research team to plan and draft the project matrix guidelines as envisaged by the research programme “Age-It Ageing well in ageing society” (Spoke 9, Work Package 1, Task 1.1), an extended partner-ship funded within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, whose objective is the study of advanced gerontechnologies for active and healthy ageing with low TRL.