New scheme to protect vulnerable Athenians launched

The City of Athens has launched a pilot program to provide vulnerable elderly residents of the Greek capital with an instant alert system in the event of a medical emergency.

Unveiled by Athens Mayor Haris Doukas on Monday, the "Age Smart" scheme has been developed by the municipal authority in cooperation with the Smile of the Child charity group and will benefit 70 residents in the first phase.

These residents are part of the charity organization's Help at Home program for providing assistance to elderly individuals without the means or support system to meet essential needs.

They have been equipped with a biometric watch that keeps track of their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and other parameters of their physical health, 24 hours a day. Any alarming changes to these readings are instantly reported to an emergency hotline set up for this purpose.

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