The European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing is an initiative launched by the European Commission. ‘Its main objective is to add more healthy live years to European citizens,’ explains Vollenbroek. ‘Because our society is getting older, but not healthier.’
‘This week’s meeting was a great opportunity to get new ideas and potentially start new European projects,’ says Vollenbroek and adds that this meeting was different from the previous ones. This time, ICT solutions were in the spotlight. ‘When I started at EIP, the approach was mostly clinically oriented, focused on face to face communication. Now everyone concentrates on using technology to deliver proper care. Now even the clinicians see that our society can’t move forward without technology.’
‘The EIP is mainly a networking community. Right now the focus is scattered, but the EIP allows us to bring together developments from different countries, learn from each other and possibly implement successful solutions in our region as well,’ continues Miriam Vollenbroek, who is a Professor of Technology Supported Cognitive Training at the UT.
The UT is one of the many European partners involved in the EIP. It is particularly active within the Action Group on ‘Lifespan Health Promotion & Prevention of age related frailty and disease’. It was representatives of this group from all over Europe that have met up at the UT campus this week to discuss recent work and possible collaborations.
