Leveraging Web 2.0 and consumer devices for improving elderlies' health

With a growing elderly population in many developed countries, technologies for supporting elderly healthcare are becoming more and more important. As technologies such as the Web and consumer level devices evolve, this opens up new opportunities for telehealthcare. In this paper, we discuss how the paradigm known as the Web 2.0 can be leveraged to develop solutions that are more patient-centric and empower the patients, especially the elderly, to manage their own health from home. We critically analyse popular Web 2.0 health applications and propose a framework for overcoming their shortcomings. Furthermore, we describe how consumer level devices such as off-the-shelf computers and motion sensing input devices can be used to make telehealthcare more accessible and affordable. Devices such as iPhones and the Wiimote controllers can enable patients to perform rehabilitation and prevention activities such as exercises at home. We argue that by combining the potentials of Web 2.0 and new consumer devices, a more holistic approach to telehealthcare can be achieved.