In Europe and globally, the share of older people is increasing, along with the demand for long-term care. This includes assistance with daily activities, most often provided by family members. The aim of formal and informal long-term care is to enable older people to maintain independence, autonomy and quality of life in their own homes for as long as possible. Informal care represents both a burden and a cost, and one approach to reducing it is the use of assistive technologies, including e-care. These involve technological solutions such as central units, sensors and SOS buttons. The purpose of this thesis is to define assistive technologies for older people and to assess the advantages and limitations of e-care services provided in Slovenia by Telekom Slovenije. We conducted 16 semi-structured in-depth interviews – nine with informal caregivers and seven with users who participated in long-term care pilot projects conducted in three regions in 2019 and 2020. The aim of the projects was to test care solutions in preparation for the Long-Term Care Act. Users reported a greater sense of safety and independence, while the main disadvantages included false alarms and discomfort when wearing the devices. Suggested improvements include reducing false alarms, technical upgrades, better communication, and more affordable access to services.
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