NET4Age-Friendly presented at the French Presidency Ministerial Conference
Last January 27, 2022, in the framework of the French Presidency of the European Union, Ms. Brigitte BOURGUIGNON Minister Delegate, in charge of Autonomy, has organised a Ministerial Conference on the prevention of loss of autonomy of older adults. Living longer is one of the greatest achievements of the past decades. Global ageing and its consequences for European society are high on the agenda of the French Presidency.
People live and grow old in their homes, there is an urgent need to create smart and inclusive environments, a more efficient health system, and a better social & community support for a greater quality of life.
NET4Age- Friendly COST Action chair was invited to present the SHAFE network in one of the thematic sessions called: “Adapting the environment and developing the use of assistive technologies at home”.
The Action Chair, Carina Dantas, presented the SHAFE and the NET4Age-Friendly network followed by one presentation on the digital age by Cristian Leorin, Assistant Professor at the University of Padua, Italy, leading a tour de table of several EU Ministers around the session’s theme.
The need to have cooperation between different ministries and areas, such as health, social and community care, digital transformation, infrastructures and built environment was advocated, along with the measures proposed by the NET4Age-Friendly network members to promote a more inclusive and empowered community for all ages.
Only long-term strategies developed in a holistic manner between the different areas of knowledge are fit to have a significant impact on the quality of life of citizens, moreover the older or more vulnerable ones.
Within this scope, the underlying mantra building the vision of NET4Age-Friendly is that:
“People should not need to adapt to environments or digital tools. We advocate for tools and environments that include, adapt, grow, and respond to our personal needs, at any age or condition,” says Carina Dantas, chairing the Action.
Since January 2022, France holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union and issues relating to global ageing and its consequences are high on the agenda, which led the French Ministry of Solidarity and Health to organise this Ministerial Conference. This conference was an opportunity for European ministers to recall the European Union’s commitment to healthy ageing, through its “Green Paper on Ageing” published by the European Commission in February 2021.
NET4Age-Friendly which stands for: International Interdisciplinary Network on Smart Healthy Age-friendly Environments is supporting the creation and the implementation of smart, healthy indoor and outdoor environments for present and future generations.
Launched in 2020, NET4AGE-FRIENDLY is an international network of researchers from 46 countries including Japan, Switzerland, Norway, United Kingdom and Georgia.
Further reading
NET4Age-Friendly recognised by the United Nations as a good practice!
Additional information
View the COST Action website
View net4age website: NET4Age-Friendly