The VATI research project investigates how older people can be empowered to live independently in their own homes and familiar surroundings for as long as possible.
VATI is a research project conducted by the following faculties Sozialwissenschaften and Elektrotechnik und Informatik of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.
In old age, the home is the center of life, and living conditions largely determine the quality of life for older people.
In light of demographic change, changes in family structures, and labor market dynamics, the question arises as to how families will be able to continue providing care and assistance to older people in need of support in their own homes in the future.
Age-appropriate housing adaptations, such as technical aids to make everyday life easier and emergency call systems, can enable older people to live independently into old age.
Assistive technologies promote quality of life at home into old age.
However, only about 1% of the housing stock in Germany is currently truly age-appropriate. Less than a quarter of older people are also aware of the possibilities for adapting their homes and how to finance this. The widespread lack of advice options is a potential cause of this.
In addition, studies have shown that the often lack of neutrality in existing advice services is problematic.
VATI brings together all the key players in the region who are driving forward the expansion of appropriate housing options in an integrated support network.
The aim is to develop the VATI Technology Navigator, an internet system that provides older people and their relatives with targeted information on assistive technologies, free from commercial interests, identifies their needs, and proposes tailor-made solutions on this basis.
The technology offered comes exclusively from regional providers who are familiar with the needs of people in Upper Lusatia and can install the technology on site.
Parallel to the introduction of this web-based decision-making aid, older people are asked for their opinions and previous experiences with technical aids in their homes and where they see room for improvement in existing technologies. Differences in the use of assistive technologies are also of interest.
To this end, older people in Upper Lusatia will be surveyed three times over a period of three years using the VATIPanel. The repeated surveys will provide information about changes in the general acceptance of assistive technologies resulting from experiences with the VATI Technology Navigator.
The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the framework of the funding guideline “Social Innovations for Quality of Life in Old Age” (SILQUA-FH)
![[Translate to Englisch:] Logo BMFTR](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/d/csm_BMFTR_de_Web_RGB_gef_durch_1__3f46089582.jpg)
Das Projekt im FIS Research information system of the HSZG
