Care for the elderly in isolated areas: example of island Lastovo

Care for the elderly in isolated areas, such as the Croatian islands, faces special organizational and logistical challenges. Especially in areas without a constantly present doctor. As part of Innoclusion project, a pilot project was conducted on the island of Lastovo with the aim of testing whether the organization of care for the elderly in such conditions could be improved with the help of the digital solution Silver Monitor.

The project was implemented in realistic field conditions and involved elderly users. The results showed that this approach technically and organizationally feasible it's got you clear potential for further development and wider application in other isolated and poorly accessible communities.

The problem of care on the island of Lastovo

Care for the elderly in isolated areas represents one of the biggest organizational challenges of the health and social system, especially in areas with a small population and limited availability of Health Services. Such areas are often characterized by great distance from larger centers, complex logistics, and limited local capacity.

The island of Lastovo is a typical example of such an environment. It is an extremely geographically isolated environment with a predominantly elderly population and no permanent medical presence.

In such conditions:

• access to health services is limited
• the organization of assistance depends on coming from outside
• health problems are often resolved only when they become serious

This context is not an exception, but the reality of many island and rural communities in Croatia and the European Union. That is why Lastovo represents a relevant test environment for testing new models of the organization of care for the elderly in isolated areas.

How the Silver Monitor PRO helps in these situations

Silver Monitor PRO the health department IoT platform designed to support the organisation of care for the elderly and chronic patients, especially in environments where access to health and social services is difficult. The solution consists of a smartwatch for the end user and a web application for organizations and caregivers, which together form a single care management system.

The platform allows continuous insight into basic vital parameters 24 hours a day, keeping records of diagnoses and pharmacotherapy and managing a larger number of users through a single interface. This creates an operational basis for better organization of care, timely detection of changes in the condition of users and more effective coordination between all involved.

In the context of isolated environments, such as the island of Lastovo, this system allows care not to rely solely on the occasional arrival of health services, but to exist. continuous information base to make decisions and organize help when it is needed.

What was tested on Lastovo as part of the Innocence Project

As part of the Innoclusion project, a pilot project was conducted on the island of Lastovo with the aim of examining how the Silver Monitor PRO can be used as a part of everyday care organization in real conditions of an isolated community. The focus of the project was not on technical demonstration of technology, but on check its practical applicability in real life.

The pilot included older users, mostly of high age, and the system was used in their daily circumstances.

It's been tested:

• how users accept wearing a smartwatch in everyday life
• how working with the platform at the organization level works
• how to manage and use data from multiple users at the same time
• how the system can help organize actions in situations where additional attention or assistance is needed

In other words, the pilot project was aimed at testing the entire operating model., and not just certain functionalities of the technology.

What are the concrete results of the pilot project?

The Pilot project at Lastovo gave a series of concrete and practical insights into how such a system can be used in real conditions of an isolated community.

First of all, it has been shown that:

• users can accept wearing a smartwatch as part of everyday life
• the system can be used as a central place to work with a larger number of users
• user data (vital parameters, therapies, notes) can be aggregated in one place
• organizations receive continuous operational insight the needs and condition of the user, not just the occasional information

It has also been shown that the platform can serve as useful tool for better organization of work and treatment, especially in an environment where there is no permanent local health presence.

It is important to emphasize that this is a pilot-scale project, but the results confirmed that this model practical and organizational sense in real field conditions.

What is the real innovation of Silver Monitor?

The real innovation of the Silver monitor is not in the individual functionality, but in the how it unifies technology and care organization into a single operating model.

Instead of relying on unrelated information, occasional field visits, and fragmented records, the Silver Monitor allows:

• work with a larger number of users through a single platform
• data on the condition, therapies and needs of users are in one place
• care is organized systematically, not ad-hoc
• decisions are made on the basis of continuous insight, not only when a problem arises

Especially in isolated areas where resources are limited, this approach allows better use of existing capabilities. and better coordination between all involved.

In other words, the innovation of the Silver monitor is not that it “measures”, but that it changing the way care is organised and managed - from fragmented and reactive to structured, continuous and manageable process.

Can this model be applied elsewhere?

Although the pilot project was carried out on the island of Lastovo, the concept itself is not tied exclusively to one geographical area. The challenges present there — an aging population, distance from larger centres and limited availability of services-are characteristic of many insular, rural and poorly accessible environments.

This model can be viewed as potentially applicable framework for:

• other Croatian islands
• rural and mountainous areas
• home care systems
• small communities with limited resources.

It is important to emphasize that each such environment has its own specificities and any future application would require adaptation to the local context, organizational capabilities and the existing care system.

Experience with Lastovo shows that there is realistic basis for further pilot projects and gradual expansion of this approach, but also that a thoughtful and phased approach to development is needed.

Restrictions and real conditions

The Pilot project on Lastovo was carried out in realistic field conditions. This allowed us to see some limitations of this approach.

First of all, the use of the IoT platform depends on the availability and stability of the mobile network. This can be a challenge in isolated and less covered areas. Also, some very high-age users need additional help and support when using a smartwatch. And this requires the involvement of family, caregivers or local services.

The project also showed that the introduction of such a system is not only a technical issue, but also organizational: it is necessary to adapt work processes, define who and how they use data, and provide clear protocols of action.

These limitations do not diminish the value of the pilot project, but on the contrary-they confirm that the system has been tested in real conditions and that the insights obtained are an important basis for further improvement and responsible expansion of this approach.

Conclusion: what Lastovo really shows?

The Pilot project on the island of Lastovo has shown that it is possible to test a new approach to the organization of care for the elderly in real conditions. And in isolated areas, using the Digital IoT platform to support everyday work.

The experience from the project does not represent evidence of a finished system for widespread application. It is clear that such a model practical value, operational meaning and potential for further development.

In this sense, Lastovo served as a demanding test environment that enabled insight into the real needs of users, organizational challenges and technical prerequisites for this approach.

The most important contribution of this pilot is not in the technology itself, but in the confirmation that care for the elderly in isolated areas can be organised in a more structured, informed and sustainable way - with further development, adaptation and responsible dissemination of the concept.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Is the Silver Monitor only for islands like Lastovo?

No. Although the pilot project was carried out on the island of Lastovo, the concept is also applicable in other isolated and poorly accessible areas, including rural and mountainous areas and smaller local communities with limited resources.

Can this system replace a doctor or a healthcare facility?

No. Silver Monitor is a digital IoT platform that serves to support the organization of care, better information flow and easier coordination of treatment, but does not replace the doctor or the existing health system.

What exactly does the platform provide to organizations?

The platform enables working with a large number of users through a single interface, continuous insight into the basic vital parameters, keeping records of diagnoses and pharmacotherapy and easier Organization of care and daily work.

Has the solution already been applied on a larger scale?

No. The Lastovo project was a pilot project. Its purpose was to examine the practical applicability and organisational model in real terms, rather than full-scale implementation.

What is the main result of the pilot project?

The main result is confirmation that this approach is operationally meaningful and practically feasible in the real conditions of an isolated community, with clearly recognized organizational and technical limitations.

What are the prerequisites for a wider application of such a model?

First of all, stable network infrastructure, clearly defined organizational processes, involvement of local stakeholders and adaptation of solutions to the specific context of each environment.

Who is this system primarily designed for?

Primarily organizations and institutions that care for more elderly people, such as home care systems, local communities, associations and homes for the elderly.

What's the next step after this pilot?

The next step is additional pilot projects in other environments, further improvement of the organisational model and gradual testing on a wider scale.