OBJECTIVES: The aim of the paper is to analyze the needs and attitude of elderly people towards technology, as a prelude for designing and testing new healthcare and assistance services.  METHODS: Focus groups and questionnaires administered in Tuscany (Italy) to a) over 65 resident in their home, living alone, with no cognitive impediments; b) formal and c) informal caregivers.  RESULTS: What the elderly need can be summarized into indoor and outdoor safety and protection services. According to the elderly people the preferred solution to meet these needs is a mix of: increasing frequency of contacts with caregivers, maintaining social relations, improving their indoor autonomy. On these premises 72% of the interviewed sample would be interested in using telemedicine platform for monitoring their health conditions; 73.5% would improve their house safety by using technology; 53% would adopt ICT technology and sensors to monitor their home when they are in or out. 47% would adopt tele-gym for making simple exercises everyday. 68% believes that a video-call system could be an useful solution to keep in touch with relatives and friends.These answers are related to a population characterized by 71% of under 75 and 85% of over 75 with some disease; 10% of over 75 citizens is not self-sufficient; 32% of under 75 and 73% of over 75 citizens receive a concrete help by formal and informal caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: Results show a high interest of the elderly people in services delivered with ICT technology and sensors for supporting their daily activities, improving safety and reducing the related healthcare resource consumption.