26.12.2025 22:05
In Giresun, which ranks third among the provinces with the highest elderly population relative to the total population, a 24/7 monitoring system supported by smart wristbands has been implemented to enhance the safety of elderly individuals living alone.
According to the data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), Giresun, which ranks third among the provinces with the highest elderly population in relation to its total population, has implemented a smart bracelet-supported 24/7 monitoring system to enhance the safety of elderly individuals living alone.
At the ceremony held in the Giresun Governorship Conference Hall, 100 smart bracelets procured within the scope of the project were presented on a voluntary basis. The ceremony was attended by Giresun Governor Mehmet Fatih Serdengeçti, Giresun University Rector Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Can, Deputy Governor Mehmet Fatih Yakınoğlu, Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Colonel Nihat Özkök, Provincial Police Chief Ferhat Akbaş, institutional managers, elderly individuals, and their relatives.
The project, supported by the General Directorate of Civil Society Relations of the Ministry of Interior and prepared by the Giresun Development Support Association, aims to improve the quality of life of elderly individuals living alone and to ensure rapid intervention in emergencies.
ELDERLY POPULATION DRAWS ATTENTION
According to TÜİK data, Giresun has a total population of 455,922, with approximately 87,000 individuals aged 65 and over. Giresun, which ranks as the third province with the highest elderly population rate after Sinop and Kastamonu, is also experiencing an increase in cases of loss related to aging. It was recorded that 7 out of 22 missing person reports made to AFAD in 2025 were related to individuals over 60 years old.
A FIRST IN TURKEY: INSTANT MONITORING FROM A SINGLE CENTER
Thanks to the smart bracelets distributed under the model implemented for the first time in Turkey, the health and safety status of elderly individuals can be monitored instantly from a single center. The devices not only measure vital data such as blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen levels in the blood but also provide an automatic alert system in cases of falls and prolonged inactivity.
Smart bracelets also feature real-time GPS location tracking, a "geo-fence" alarm that activates when leaving a safe area, and an emergency call button. The system aims to provide uninterrupted intervention for elderly individuals 24/7.
"LIKE A DIGITAL LANTERN"
Speaking at the ceremony, Giresun Governor Mehmet Fatih Serdengeçti highlighted the aging population structure of Giresun, stating, "Giresun is an aging city. While our young people live in big cities, our elders generally continue their lives here. We are all candidates to become elderly. This project will ensure that our elderly are safe with the compassion of the state, wherever they may be, like a lantern that never goes out. Within the scope of the project, not only technological monitoring but also social support mechanisms have been activated. At least 100 volunteer public personnel will visit the elderly they are matched with at their homes twice a month and provide social support by calling them once a week," he said.
Governor Serdengeçti also explained the importance of the project in terms of both physical safety and socialization, stating, "Within the framework of the studies to be carried out in cooperation with Giresun University, the Provincial Health Directorate, the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, and the Provincial Directorate of National Education, grip bars, non-slip floor applications, and lighting arrangements will be made in the homes of the elderly. Additionally, personalized exercise programs will be prepared by experts, and cultural trips, choir performances, and intergenerational activities will be organized. The project aims to ensure the physical safety of elderly individuals living alone in Giresun and to prevent them from being isolated from social life," he said.
After the announcement, Governor Mehmet Fatih Serdengeçti and protocol members distributed the bracelets to the elderly.