CORDIS Archive

[ Highlights ] helsinki conference Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Research Benefits for the Ageing Population Organised by STAKES and the European Commission under the Finnish EU Presidency Major outcomes and documentation from the dissemination Conference for European Research Results September 2006, Helsinki Research related to the quality of life of older people is a multi-dimensional issue. Politics, economics, culture, family structure, demographics, healthcare practices, nursing skills and a wide range of therapeutic and technical measures shape and influence the present situation of older people in Europe. The future provisions for older people in EU Member States and the outcomes for older people must be informed by today’s and tomorrow’s research, conducted by multi-disciplinary and multi-national teams. At this conference, hosted by the Finnish National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) during the Finnish Presidency of the European Union, September 2006, experts in the field of ageing research presented the results of key research and development projects on the quality of life of older people. The projects addressed some of the most pressing social issues in Europe today, and have produced findings in many significant areas, including health and social care, technological aids, prevention and treatment of age-related diseases, as well as active ageing and mobility. The participants included Members the Economic and Social Committee, representatives of different Commission services, European and National Non-Governmental Organisations, UN, national policy makers and others who are interested expressed interest in taking up the results. This dissemination conference has provided an exposition of the problem-solving approach of the research Key Action 6 “The Ageing Population and their Disabilities”, bringing research results to a well-informed and critical audience. It is with great pleasure that we offer these results to the research community and the many stakeholders who, we hope, may benefit from this work. This webpage contains all the presentations (in .pdf format) made at the conference, as well as some aditional information links. The presentations can be dowloaded by clicking with the mouse (or using mac's relevant button) and save file as... DAY 1 Plenary Welcome Finnish Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Tuula Haatainen European Commission, Director Health Research, Octavi Quintana Trias Introduction, Vappu Taipale, STAKES Follow-up of the Madrid Action Plan for Ageing, Alexandre Sidorenko, UN Programme on Ageing and Senior Social Affairs Quality of Life of Older People – The Contribution of Research, Allan Walker, University of Sheffield, UK Parallel sessions • Session 1: Living Longer. Living Better? Chair: Marja Jylhä, University of Tampere Rapporteur: Eija Kattainen, STAKES Living longer. Living better? – Introduction Ivor Ambrose, Independent Consultant, Athens The role of diet on the longevity of elderly Europeans - Antonia Trichopoulou, University of Athens, presenter: Gesa Hansen, European Commission Sleep in ageing women - Tarja Porkka-Heiskanen, University of Helsinki, presenter: Eija Kattainen, STAKES, Helsinki Healthy ageing and its determinants in 11 European countries - Daan Kromhout University of Wageningen • Session 2: Older People’s Home and Mobility Chair: Kevin McCarthy, European Commission Rapporteur: Päivi Voutilainen, STAKES Genes, falls and cosmonauts: a case for the falling Icarus? - Carlos von Bonhorst, Independent Consultant, Brussels Criteria for dwellings, surroundings and facilities - Pirkko Kasanen, Work Efficiency Institute, Helsinki Enhancing outdoor mobility in later life - Heidrun Mollenkopf, German Centre for Ageing Research, Heidelberg Mobility of senior citizens as a social problem - Heinz-Jürgen Kaiser (Presentation - Text), Institute for Psycho-gerontology, Erlangen • Session 3: Coping with Age-related Health Problems Chair: Heikki Kallasvaara, University of Helsinki Rapporteur: Merab Kokaia, Lund University The burden of disease in old age - Eino Heikkinen, University of Jyväskylä Alzheimer's disease; Dementia results overview - Merab Kokaia, University of Lund Information for and about Parkinson’s disease and communication with patients - Heiner Ellgring, University of Würzburg Cueing of Parkinson patients, new technological devices to overcome “freezing” - Alice Nieuwboer, University of Leuven • Session 4: Technological Solutions for Enhancing Quality of Life Chair: Isabel Borges, AGE Rapporteur: Peter Gore, Cane & Able Ltd. The challenges of applying technology to health & social care - Peter Gore, Cane & Able Ltd., Sheffield Technologies for people with dementia - Paivi Topo, STAKES, Helsinki The friendly restroom - Marianne Egger de Campo, COMPASS, Graz A new incontinence management system - Alan Cottenden, UCL - Continence Products Eval Network, London Day 2 Plenary How Can We Prevent Older People Falling? Lessons from ProFaNE - Chris Todd, University of Manchester, UK Parallel sessions • Session 5: Sensory Impairment Chair: Eino Heikkinen, University of Jyväskylä Rapporteur: Carlos von Bonhorst, Independent Consultant New approaches, new tools, solving old problems in sensory impairment - Carlos von Bonhorst, Independent Consultant, Brussels A prosthesis for the blind - Eduardo Fernandez, University of Alicante Therapeutic and diagnostic tools in AMD - Thomas Wheeler-Schilling, European Vision Institute New standardized battery test for evaluating low vision and AMD - Susanne Trauzettel-Klosinski, University Eye Hospital, Tübingen • Session 6: Caring for Older Persons Chair: Gertraud Dayé, NGO Committee on Ageing, UN Rapporteur: Dora Groo, Hungarian Science Foundation Caring for older persons - Introduction - Dora Groo, Hungarian Science and Technology Foundation, Budapest Care for aged at risk of marginalization - Marianne Egger de Campo, COMPASS, Graz Keys for quality performance of the care of older persons - Marja Vaarama, STAKES, Helsinki Services for supporting family carers - Hanneli Doehner, University Hospital, Hamburg Plenary European Activities and Initiatives Pekka Kahri, TEKES; Gesa Hansen, European Commission Summary of Key Messages from Sessions, session rapporteurs: Session 1: Eija Kattainen Session 2: Päivi Voutilainen Session 3: Merab Kokaia Session 4: Peter Gore Session 5: Carlos von Bonhorst Session 6: Dora Groo The Ageing Population – Challenges for Future Research - Yitzhak Brick, Director General of Eshel, past president of the International Federation on Ageing Additional Information List of the websites for KA6 projects (right click or function button / save as) Download conference proceedings booklet (available from early 2007) Download Mid-Term KA6 Assessment executive summary report Download final KA6 assessment (available from early 2007) Download KA6 list of projects booklet

Note