Who cares?

The first world is moving towards higher concentrations of older people and fewer carers. Just 20 years ago there were 30 potential carers for each pe rson needing care. By 2010 this will have reduced to only three potential c arers. National economies will not be able to sustain the levels of care en joyed to date and a potential crisis looms. Fortunately the technological a dvances that have extended lifetimes are also spawning the means of caring through information technology (IT). The demands placed on telecommunicatio ns networks will dictate wide-band services, with human scale delays and in terfaces.