What is the Silver Economy?

The Silver Economy can be defined as the part of economy that concerns the specific needs of the population over 60. As its name suggests, the Silver Economy is not only a specific market but more like a cross economy.

The rapid demographic ageing change implies both major societal challenge and a major opportunity for new jobs and growth in the Silver Economy. Indeed, it is estimated that by 2050, the proportion of people over the age of 60 is projected to rise from 20% to 33% of the population in developed countries.

More specifically, the SUDOE area will show the highest proportion of people over 60 in the world by 2050, with 40% of the population aged over 60. This aging effect will be also accentuated by the fact that the regions of South-Western Europe are seeing a large flow of retired people that decided to live there because of the quality of the living environment.

Therefore, in view of the aging of its population and the increased need for products / services adapted to the needs of the elderly, the territorial area SUDOE will have to promote:

  • Adapted responses in terms of health and maintaining the autonomy of seniors (especially in SUDOE rural areas)
  • The access of its companies to the market opportunities of the Silver Economy.

The ICT4SILVER project aims to provide the SUDOE territory with answers to these challenges.

Aquitaine: The sector of the economy of the elderly (Silver Economy, SE) includes 400 actors (60% companies). The region is fully supportive of this sector (Living Lab «e-health», Aquitano Digital Health Territory, Chronicity Valley of the Aquitaine-Euskadi Euroregion) and ICT4SILVER can benefit from the methods of creativity and animation perfected in the context of the Interclustering activities of ADI Limo: Autonom Lab will exploit the results of the SILVER SUDOE project (innovative products and services for the elderly) and will support the Elopsys SME network (home automation domicile). An industrial, territorial and scientific project has been promoted in 6 thematic areas: habitat and urban development; autonomy and home care; health and socio-health care; Transport and adapted mobility; leisure and adapted tourism; and the transversality. The Regional Council and ADI accompany this structure.

Basque Country: a wide variety of projects are being carried out in the sector, such as the development of ICT-related interfaces (chronic diseases prevention, GAIA), European projects within the AAL program (behavior-based monitoring for early detection of Neurodegenerative diseases (TECNALIA), a game-based mobility training program for seniors (SSI Group), and FP7 and CIP (assistive robotic systems for enhancing human performance (TECNALIA), physical activity and risk of falls monitoring for the elderly at home SSI) Biosciences and Health are part of RIS3. Thematic topics are: chronic diseases, active and healthy aging, food, tourism for the elderly and friendly housing for the elderly.

Catalonia: The RIS3CAT initiative aims to create a community of health technologies that involves companies, health and social organizations, and technology centers. KIMbcn has experience in national and international projects, as well as in the development of creative techniques for SMEs, which will be responsible for disseminating best practices in this field.

Portugal (North and Central Regions): The national cluster TICE.PT has included in its strategy the branches of e-health and the economy of the elderly. The TICE HEALTHY national project has enabled the development of prototypes of ICT products, combining sensors and actuators, in the field of medicine and rehabilitation, or applications for the monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases. The IPCA has a strong R & D area related to design to improve the quality of life of the elderly population, and this project is therefore perfectly aligned with the interests and activities already underway in the institution. The ICTs for Health and Welfare are part of the national RIS3, supported in the region Center for an innovation platform for technologies for the service of quality of life and for the tenth largest data center in the world; and in the North region through a network of ICT actors and active aging around the Health Cluster of Portugal.