Customers who are elderly or have special healthcare needs
We offer a range of products and services to improve accessibility and make life easier or safer for elderly customers and help those who need medical assistance. For example, people can use their mobile phones to monitor and manage their health, help control chronic conditions, and prevent complications through early diagnosis and prevention.
Easy-to-use handsets for elderly customers
Vodafone Spain’s Emporia Life handset features a large screen and display, oversized and easy-to-use buttons, and a high volume loudspeaker and ring. It has a powerful vibration alert to ensure the owner knows when someone is calling, an orange backlight for visually impaired people, and is compatible with digital hearing aid devices. For additional security the phone has a unique emergency button. This large red button located on the back of the phone can be programmed to call up to five previously designated numbers for help. This may be a relative, neighbour, doctor or anyone the owner wants to contact in an emergency situation. It can also be programmed to send out a pre-written text to other mobile phones asking for assistance.
Tele-assistance services for elderly and dependent people
People suffering from Alzheimer's disease or similar conditions can become easily disoriented. They are often dependent on constant care and assistance from their families. Vodafone Spain's 'Always with you' mobile tele-assistance service is designed to increase their independence, so improving quality of life for them and their families.
The handset is specially designed for people who do not regularly use mobile phones such as the elderly. It is very easy to use, with just two buttons – green and red:
- The green button calls a pre-programmed contact number of a friend or family member. If there is no response from the first number contacted, the call automatically passes to the next on the list until it is answered.
- The red button connects the user with a mobile tele-assistance service for immediate help.
The service was developed in close collaboration with the Spanish Association for Alzheimer disease. It overcomes some of the limitations of existing static tele-assistance services, bringing added values such as independence and safety for dependent people, at all times.
Vodafone Spain, along with the Spanish Red Cross and the Spanish Alzheimer Association, has developed the Intelligent System for Monitoring Personal Alerts (SIMAP), which offers 24-hour access to assistance both in the home and outside it through a mobile device. The device is equipped with a location-based service that enables families to find their relative if they become disoriented. It can also be set up to alert families if the user leaves a designated safety zone.
European Commission ASK-IT project
Vodafone is a partner in a pan-European collaborative project, ASK-IT. Funded by the European Commission and led by Siemens' Division of Health Services, the project involves companies and research bodies such as Nokia, Alcatel, and the University of Newcastle, amongst others. The ASK-IT project is designing an easy to use, ‘one-stop-shop’ online information resource for mobility impaired people. Users create a personal profile on the service and log on through their mobile phone, PDA, notebook or PC to search for personally relevant information on accessible transport and accommodation, events and sites of interest.
Vodafone is supporting the pilot event, to be held on Madrid in 2008. It will mainly focus on improving access to existing internet by physically disabled persons and senior citizens. Services will be integrated into one application and they will be available in real time, on a portable device.
Using mobiles to monitor health conditions
Vodafone Spain has developed a service that enables people with diabetes to effectively control their sugar levels. A monitoring device measures the level of sugar in their blood and displays the reading on their mobile phone. The phone also automatically sends the information to a database that can be accessed by doctors, who can alert their patient if necessary.
Vodafone Group R&D and Vodafone Spain are working on a project, due to be completed in 2008, which aims to improve diagnosis of high blood pressure. The project is looking at ways that mobile phones can connect to a digital blood pressure monitor using Bluetooth, and send readings via SMS to a control centre. Patients would be able to access information from the control centre and use it to evaluate their current situation to determine whether they need treatment. Doctors would also assess the information and write prescriptions for any blood pressure medication their patients need. Another goal of R&D is to strengthen preventive healthcare via mobile services which can motivate people by making regular exercise more fun and entertaining.
With the support of the Vodafone Portugal Foundation, a system has been developed to monitor epilepsy in children remotely. Neurologists and paediatricians at the West Lisbon Hospital Centre in Portugal use mobile communications and specially developed software to monitor medical diagnostics remotely via the internet, on a computer or PDA at any time, even outside the hospital.
People with allergies in the south of Spain can register for free weekly updates via SMS about pollen levels throughout the spring, tailored to their location and the types of pollen they are allergic to.
Telemedicine services
Telemedicine equipment enable local doctors to examine patients with chronic diseases and transfer medical information to a specialist such as a cardiologist elsewhere for analysis. The expert can instantly send their opinion back based on their analysis of the data received.
Following a pilot project in 2006, Vodafone Greece organised a training course in March 2007 to teach medical staff how to use telemedicine equipment. Participants were given equipment to record life signs (electrocardiograph, spirometer, oxymeter, blood pressure monitor and glucosometer) and a PDA device.
Vodafone Romania has provided SMURD, the Romanian emergency services provider, with 16 sets of telemedicine equipment to improve the efficiency of its ambulances since 2005. Each set includes medical and communications equipment to enable ambulance teams to communicate with the national 112 ambulance service and local hospitals. This gives SMURD ambulances in small towns and rural areas access to central expert assistance, enabling them to respond more quickly and effectively in emergency situations.