The initial meeting (Kick-off Meeting) of the European project “AI that Cares for Aging at Home” (Care@Home) has taken place in Kaunas (Lithuania). This international initiative aims to transform the care of older adults through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The project includes the participation of the Valdecilla Health Research Institute (IDIVAL), together with a multidisciplinary consortium made up of universities, research centers, and health services from seven European countries.
The main objective of Care@Home is to develop an advanced contactless monitoring ecosystem that improves the quality of life of older adults, supporting their autonomy and enabling them to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.
To achieve this, the project focuses on non‑invasive technologies based on intelligent proximity and environmental sensors (NASS, Nearable & Airable Smart Sensors), capable of recording vital signs, postures, and daily activities without the need for wearable devices. This approach seeks to enhance user experience by avoiding intrusive solutions and facilitating acceptance.
Care@Home also integrates advanced artificial intelligence algorithms with local data‑processing technologies (edge computing) through TinyML, enabling real‑time analysis directly in the user’s environment, reducing data transmission and strengthening privacy. The system also incorporates a robust ethical framework in which sensitive data are transformed into anonymous representations that protect personal identity.
An innovative model for home care
Another key pillar of the project is the early detection of potential health problems. Through predictive models, the system will be able to identify risks such as falls, frailty, or functional decline at an early stage, enabling proactive interventions by healthcare professionals and caregivers.
The system will be validated in real‑world environments through pilot projects in private homes and care centers across several European countries, allowing assessment of both its clinical effectiveness and its acceptance by users and professionals.
The consortium is coordinated by Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania), led by Professor Agne Paulauskaite‑Taraseviciene, and brings together entities from Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Poland, Sweden, and Spain. These include academic institutions, research centers, and healthcare organizations with extensive experience in artificial intelligence, geriatric care, and clinical evaluation.
In Spain, the Cantabrian Health Service (SCS) and IDIVAL are actively involved in the project. The principal investigator, Carlos Fernández‑Viadero, leads the definition of monitoring parameters—such as frailty and sarcopenia—and the validation of the solutions in real clinical contexts, both at home and in community settings.
Care@Home represents an important step toward a more intelligent, preventive, and person‑centered care model, in which technology acts as an ally to improve the quality of life of older adults and contribute to the sustainability of European healthcare systems.
