Sharjah is enhancing its status as an age-friendly city by adopting artificial intelligence tools and smart care technologies to improve services for senior citizens, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
At the 2024 Senior Citizens Services Forum, themed “Artificial Intelligence in the Service of the Elderly” and organised by the Sharjah Social Services Department, participants recommended expanding the use of smart technology in elderly care.
Proposals included forming advisory committees for senior citizens, building private sector partnerships for technical programs, and developing integrated digital platforms linking healthcare and social service providers.
Sharjah has already introduced several AI-supported services, such as the Virtual Social Advisor, which connects seniors with service providers via interactive audio and video channels, and the Virtual Companion, which allows daily contact with healthcare and social support teams through smart screens. The Limb app offers digital rehabilitation exercises with remote monitoring.
These digital solutions are supported by mobile clinics that provide home medical care, the Mishwar transport service for visits to health centres, and the Ijaba service, which processes official documents at home.
The emirate also promotes active ageing through cultural, social, and sports programmes, as well as digital training to improve technical skills among seniors.
Officials said the initiatives aim to create an integrated smart care system that preserves dignity, promotes independence, and enhances the quality of life of older residents, positioning Sharjah as a model for elderly care in the digital era.
