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Aging Families, Changing Families: An International Conference, June 3-6, 2015, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

06 Giugno / 2015

Aging Families, Changing Families: An International Conference, June 3-6, 2015, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.  This conference will provide a
forum for scholarly papers on aging in the context of family life with an emphasis on social change and global perspectives. Co-sponsored by the Research Committees on Aging and Family Research of the International


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Bridging the gap between generations: SIforAGE develops new working groups with children and older people in Austria

29 Ottobre / 2014
  siforage  |  siforage

In the framework of SIforAGE Project, a series of activities are being carried out in order to bridge the gap that often exists between young and old generations. One of these activities entitled “Intervention with children” consists in changing the image of ageing and thus improving inter-generational relations.  Various experimental projects in different European countries are being implemented for this purpose. In September 2014 one of these interventions with children was carried out by Dirk Jarré (President of EURAG, The European Federation of Older Persons, one of the SIforAGE partners) in a Modern Secondary School in Hausmannstätten, a small town situated about 15 km from the city of Graz. Participants in this inter-generational activity were children from the Secondary School aged between 13 and 14 years old and older persons living in the city of Graz and its immediate environment.

In a first phase children were tested on their perception of older persons and possible stereotypes or prejudices. Then they were provided with image presentation and information about activities and capacities of older persons, the roles of which they could slip in themselves, and it was measured how their understanding of ageing changed. Finally children and older persons worked together in mixed groups “young and old” to prepare to two public campaigns under the topic “Improving the living quality in our community“ – half of them on “an age-friendly environment“ and the other half on “caring for the natural environment”. The results from these joint activities – posters for the campaigns - were presented in the atrium of the school and broadly discussed. Afterwards, the posters were exhibited for some time in order to give the opportunity to the rest of pupils and staff to see which issues have been addressed and learn from the work performed. Young and old participants expressed having enormously enjoyed the activity and learned a lot from and about each other.

This kind of inter-generational activities that pursues to promote in young people new attitudes towards older persons, and vice-versa, proves to be a successful means for bridging the gap between generations and prevent ageism among young people.

Check SIforAGE Facebook Page for having a look and comment the pictures from this event! 

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How to implement cutting-edge technologies for an active and healthy ageing? New recommendations from Vienna NGO Committe on Ageing

28 Ottobre / 2014
  siforage  |  -

In the framework of the 2014 International Day of Older Persons the Vienna NGO Committee on Ageing, under the auspices of its vice-president and member of SiforAGE Dirk Jarré, organized a special event on the topic: ”Social Innovation Solutions and Technology for Active and Healthy Ageing”. Louise Pierrel Mikkelsen, from Investornet and also a member of SIforAGE, was invited as guest speaker in order to share her wide expertise in the field.

As pointed out by Gertraud Dayé, Chair of Vienna NGO Committee on Ageing: "Our members were unanimous in their conviction that better understanding of new technologies as well as having a voice in the development of products and services is of utmost importance to reach full integration of the older age groups into society". 

Mikkelsen’s talk and the overall event raised a very lively discussion and produced a set of recommendations concerning the production and usability of new technologies that you can find in the following link.

Do not hesitate to give us feedback on these recommendations through our facebook or twitter account or by means of our "contact us" page!

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SIforAGE and GISME organize a public lecture on active an healthy ageing

27 Ottobre / 2014
  science  |  SIfroAGE

Friday October 24th SIforAGE and GISME organized a public lecture jointly with Jakiunde in the framework of Krisiak (crisis) public lectures. Krisiak is a project that aims at understanding the crisis situation as an oportunity to develop social innovation, creativity and social change. This is materialized by a set of public lectures and videos disseminating ideas developed by experts in both social and experimental sciences fields.   

Iosu Zabala, Mondragon University Chief, Joxe Mari Aizega, Basque Culinary Center Chief, Javier Tejada, Gisme chief and Bacelona University physics professor and representatives from the Basque Government talked about ageing as an opportunity to develop new policies and innovations. Profesor Tejada highlights the importance of how functional capacities are declining since we are 20 years and how this decline can be improved in at least a 50% by our life style and social environment. 

There were two panels, the first one was devoted to the sociological perspective on the challenge of the so-called demographic ageing and the pre-clinical features of dementia. The second panel draws alone the lines of the philosophical perspective of ageing, e.g., the importance of gathering together and generating different ageing narratives through social innovation; and Dr. Munain talked about neurodegeneration, genetic features and new techniques of analysis. 

To close the event, the audience had the chance to enjoy a show-cooking of healthy diet for older people. Two cooks gave some tips on how to cook using less saturated fat and seasonal food. At the end of the show some people from the audience were able to try the marvelous menu they cooked

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Main conclusions from the debate “Catalonia is growing old: are we ready to deal with this challenge?”

21 Ottobre / 2014
  siforage  |  siforage

On the 1st of October La Caixa Foundation organized a public debate about ageing entitled “Catalonia is growing old: are we ready to deal with this challenge?”. The event took place in Barcelona and four experts in ageing issues were invited for discussing about ways for dealing with the new ageing society.

Ramon Gomis (director of the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute), Montserrat Guillen (director of the Riskcenter, the Research Group on Risk in Insurance and Finance), Josep M. Haro (Psychiatrist) and Agustí Vilà (member of the Catalan Board for Older people) made several key contributions.

First of all, it was underlined the fact that in Catalonia, in 2020, more than half of the population will be over 50. Secondly, experts suggested that ageing should not be considered a catastrophe but, conversely,  as one of the greatest successes of the XX century. The issue of promoting a healthy and active way of life from an early age was also raised during the debate. When it comes to avoiding social discrimination (or ageism), it was pointed out the key role of education to prevent it. A special mention was made to the fact that not only should we prevent illnesses but also risk situations. Finally, experts suggested the importance for older people to become relevant actors in decision making in all public spheres (institutional, academic, social etc.) towards the promotion of an active and healthy ageing.

These kind of open debates are a crucial means for making people aware of the necessity of a social change towards a new conception of ageing and a society for all.

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“LA CAIXA” FOUNDATION TAKES PART IN THE EUROPEAN PRIZE OF SOCIAL INNOVATION FOR ACTIVE AND HEALTHY AGEING

21 Ottobre / 2014
  European Commission  |  changemakers

 “La Caixa” Foundation in association with the beginners of the initiative, King Baudouin Foundation (Brussels), Unicredit (Italy) and Erste Foundation (Austria) took part in launching the European Prize of Social Innovation for Active and Healthy Ageing in Europe. Briefly, “La Caixa” Foundation aims at promoting, through a specific program called Senior Program, an active and healthy ageing to improve both life overall quality and life span. This program’s objective is to focus on vulnerable people and in this line, build transformative and innovative intervention models.

Some prestigious organizations from all over Europe both took part in the prize and were the jury. These organizations are:

·         Ageing Research Center, Karolinska Institutet (ARC), Suecia.

·         AGE Platform Europe (AGE), Bruselas.

·         Ashoka Innovators for the Public (Ashoka).

·         Centre for Social Innovation (Zentrum für Soziale Innovation, ZSI), Austria.

·         Italian National Research Centre on Ageing (Istituto Nazionale di Ricovero e Cura per Anziani, INRCA), Italia.

·         Netwell Centre, School of Health & Science, Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), Irlanda.

In short, this European Prize addresses individuals, organizations and associations that develop and apply social innovation strategies for active and healthy ageing. They were looking for social innovations in the field of active and healthy ageing which respond to social problems and needs in a sustainable and socially accepted way. The thematic areas of the prize were the following: health and prevention, care and active ageing and independent and autonomous life. The case studies will focus on the “innovation process” (initiation, collaboration, coordination, participation), the “innovation context” (business models, funding, incubation models, institutional context, ethical issues) and the “innovation impacts” (benefits for clients, institutional change). Lessons learnt from those cases will be synthesised in a rapport and presented at a European conference. The best three social innovations will be awarded with the "Social Innovation in Ageing – The European Award."

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