Smart Tech Lifeline: Keeping Rome's Elderly Connected

Dina Gazzella, an elderly resident of Rome, benefits from a smart bracelet that monitors her health, providing both security and company. This device, part of a municipal scheme funded by the EU, safeguards roughly 700 seniors, especially during the sweltering heatwaves impacting the region.

An 85-year-old widow in Rome named Dina Gazzella finds solace and security in a smart bracelet designed to monitor her health. Since her husband's death in 2023, technology has become her companion, allowing social workers to check her wellbeing remotely.

This electronic bracelet, part of a €400 million initiative funded post-COVID by the EU, is crucial, especially during severe heatwaves. The device tracks heart rates and movements, offering both health prevention and emergency assistance for nearly 700 beneficiaries.

Despite initial privacy concerns, the scheme persists as a lifeline for elderly residents. Social workers provide companionship through daily calls, ensuring individuals like Gazzella remain safe and connected in isolation.