The project is funded by the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) Joint Programme and the national funding authorities of Spain, Germany, Italy nd UK (see http://www.aal-europe.eu/aal-association for details).

What is the real need?

Ageing workforce is an important issue arisen during last years: the optimisation of their experience, the gap between older and younger workers and the preparation for retirement are some of the biggest challenges to companies and public entities.

Similarly, retirement poses a major problem as, without the daily routine and social contact of the workplace, many people find themselves feeling alone and disengaged from their usual social circle.

Current ICTs offers a wide range of opportunities for social inclusion, for getting in contact with other people and for levelling social disparities. However, difficulties observed in access and in use of such technologies represent the continuation of pre-existing social differences.

Contents

The AWARE project, inside the AAL European Program, wants to include mature people in the active world through the usage of ICT tools, recovering their important contribute in a “shared economy of knowledge”, and also to contribute to improve their quality of life. To do this we have developed the Senior Experience Network (SEN+).

The SEN+ platform is a specific Social Network with three modules integrated:

• IMPROVE MY ENVIRONMENT (Environment adaptation module): A database of ergonomic recommendations to adapt workplace and home environments.
• MY KNOWLEDGE (Sharing knowledge module): This module permits workers to maintain an active role after retirement by allowing share of expertise and experience, get in contact with other workers and retired elderly people. This will help people to stay active after retirement and will allow the company to maintain and acquire knowledge and expertise although a worker has retired.
• LEARN AND TEACH (ICT approach module): This module includes a trainer tool for the platform and other courses about ICT skills. Here the users may also create and manage their own courses.

This novel solution is based on the principles of the social network, where its services (chatting, blogging, etc) are complemented by specific services oriented to aging workforce and elderly people needs. Additionally, the platform and its interfaces are designed basing on accessibility and usability requirements of the final users. Finally, the platform has been developed using open-source software (Mahara and Moodle) and the system is modular in design to maximize flexibility and extensibility.

Benefits from SEN+ Platform

The advantages and benefits expected from the development of a platform with the described features are the following ones:

• Support the companies during the whole retirement process. The benefits derived from the implementation of this technology will result in the possibility of improving expertise transfer as well as maintaining the relationship with the retired worker.
• Maintain the elder person active after retirement, hence promoting an active ageing.
• Create web communities of retired workers to share experience, skills and expertise.
• Respond to current trends of the ageing workforce, by maintaining mentally and economically active the elder person.

Information about the AWARE Project

Visit the SEN+ page if you want to know more about this platform