The INDEPENDENT project

INDEPENDENT was a European pilot project which ended in autumn 2013. It was part-funded by the European Union’s Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme.

Over a duration of three years, twenty partner organisations across six European Member States jointly pursued an ambitious work programme aiming at better capitalising on information and communications technology (ICT) when it comes to supporting older people living in the community. The ultimate goal was to empower older people to maintain their independence.

A particular focus was on enabling, with help of technology, a better joining-up of social and health care services as they existed at six pilot sites when the project started. There was also emphasis on strengthening the participation of the so called “third sector,” family carers and voluntary community workers who would otherwise not be in the usual information sharing loop.