Demographic change, changes in family structures and workplace dynamics raise urgent questions about the future care of older people in need of care at home. The desire to lead a self-determined life into old age is still very high. In this phase of life, the home becomes the center of life and the living conditions essentially determine the quality of life of older people. Age-appropriate home adaptations are therefore becoming increasingly important (keyword: accessibility). Technical assistance systems also make it possible to live longer in familiar domestic surroundings and in a familiar social environment, which has a positive effect on quality of life. Experts are discussing these technologies in the context of ambient assisted living (AAL).

Since 2014, an interdisciplinary project team at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences has been researching the topic of "Trust in assistance technologies for the inclusion of older people" (VATI), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Among other things, the project is investigating the potential uses of such technologies in the district of Görlitz.

At the Gerontological Symposium, speakers with research and practical experience from the project described current developments in this area. The presentations covered the broad spectrum of the topic and provided an insight into this extremely exciting field of research.