According to this 1/31/2007 eWeek article, one of the world's biggest companies is joining the effort to help the elderly live independently:

Intel and the Industrial Development Agency of Ireland are teaming up to create technologies that help seniors live at home. The three-year, $30 million collaboration establishes the TRIL (Technology Research for Independent Living) Centre, where researchers from Intel and Irish universities will create devices that can keep elderly people engaged in their communities, detect and prevent falls, and help those with failing memory to maintain their independence.

The article continues:

Last week, Intel announced a $1 million collaboration with the Oregon Health & Science University to develop technologies that detect "behavioral markers" that can sense when an elderly person needs help. Such technologies could help the elderly live independently longer. The term "behvaioral markers" is similar to the term "biomarkers," which people in the preventive-disease community use to describe physiological signals that can serve as early warnings of disease.

Intel sees an aging society: But Intel is betting that the numbers are on its side. "There were 600 million seniors in 2000; there will be 1.2 billion seniors by 2025 and more than 2 billion by 2050," said Eric Dishman, manager of Intel's Health Research & Innovation Group, as he introduced the new center. According to a market report released last year, the market for digital home health services could exceed $2 billion by 2010. That's up from a mere $450 million in 2005. Still, the number pales in comparison with sales of blockbuster drugs, which can top $20 billion a year.