Technology for the benefit of the elderly people. A new challenge for nurses [La tecnologia al servizio degli anziani: una nuova sfida per gli infermieri]

Introduction. The increasing population aging as well as the enormoustechnological development in the last years has put nurses in front of newand interesting challenges. Modern technology, in fact, can represent asignificant opportunity in order to improve life quality, the independenceof the elderly and that of their relatives as well as making nursing proceduresmore easy in all caring environments.Main issue. The nurses use the technology in order to manage thehealth care and to prevent and treat the health problems, as well toimprove the autonomy and safety of the elderly. The paper presentsexamples of new technology for the benefit of elderly people. They helpto understand the enormous potential that technology has when used inthis study field.Conclusions. Nurses need to become aware of the impact technologycan have on nursing care, on the therapeutic relation and on the lifequality of the elderly person. This awareness will enable the developmentof reflections on the ethical implications of the relations betweenperson, nursing care and technology, making nursing research in thisissue possible as well as helping to find the best technological solutionsfor specific nursing care problems. Thus nursing care can become a“soft technology” able to conciliate an empathic care with a scientificand competent treatment.