Transforming the Future of Ageing

In Europe and around the world, people are living longer than ever before. This is one of the greatest achievements of the past century, but it also brings challenges for European societies and the European Union as a whole. Evidence indicates that genetic factors are relatively minor compared to lifestyle behaviours such as a healthy diet and physical activity when it comes to predicting how people age. Thus, there is a need to adjust to an ageing and shrinking workforce and find financially viable ways to deliver high-quality health and social care for all.

Emanating from the publication of an international scientific evidence review report entitled ‘Transforming the Future of Ageing’, this online seminar will provide a clear account of how and why:

• Society must tackle the challenges presented by ageing in every generation and not leave them until old age
• Ageing in the future will take place in a very different context from the past
• Age-friendly communities must become the norm
• Technology is already changing the experience of ageing

Key speakers include:

• Rose Anne Kenny, MRIA and Richard Reilly MRIA, Ireland’s contributors to the SAPEA report
• Professor George Griffin, President of the Federation of European Academies of Medicine
• Professor Pearl Dykstra, Deputy Chair of the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
• Mairead McGuinness, Vice-President of the European Parliament

The seminar will address pertinent areas within the report which policy makers can identify with e.g. ageism; increased mandatory training in geriatric medicine for all health care professionals; technologies for enhanced education and training; technologies for diagnostics and management; technologies to minimise social isolation and loneliness; life course approach; examples of novel models of care delivery to reduce hospital admission and length of stay.

The recommendations of the report will also be discussed in the context of COVID-19, what has particularly affected Europe’s older population, and particularly in nursing homes. Thus, future policy directions will be considered: In what ways will people be affected? What issues do policy makers need to consider? What educational, scientific, regulatory and health infrastructure changes are required? What policy responses will be required?

The ‘Transforming the Future of Ageing’ report was published by the SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) consortium within the European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism. SAPEA brings together outstanding expertise in engineering, humanities, medicine, natural and social sciences from over 100 academies, young academies and learned societies across Europe and together with the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, provides independent scientific advice to European Commissioners to support their decision-making.