The usefulness of the information system as a source of information for present day social alarm subscribers is considered as limited. However, within the next decade a significant percentage of elderly and disabled people will have a PC at home. The social alarm information system can be a first step into the information age for people who would otherwise be excluded. The social alarm home unit has reached success as a standard product because it meets the needs of a large population, it is efficient, reliable, easy to install, and cost-effective. Developments of care provision and communication technology will change the market position of social alarm services.
New services emerge, for new user groups, with new functions, and maybe provided by new competitors.
Social alarm provision will no longer be a service by itself, but will be integrated with other services in a technical and organisational sense. For social alarm manufacturers and providers of today this development offers great opportunities. The market niche where market players of today have growth potential is integration of care services on a local or regional level, using the social alarm infrastructure as a means for care communication and co-ordination in a broad sense.