The Future of Smart & Healthy Ageing: SHAPES Results, Recommendations & Reflections for an Inclusive Europe and a Participative Civil Society – 8th Dialogue Workshop
8th SHAPES Dialogue Workshop Summary
On 12th September 2023, the 8th SHAPES Dialogue Workshop took place virtually through Zoom, gathering around 100 participants. The focus of the workshop was “SHAPES results, recommendations, and reflections for an inclusive Europe and a participative civil society” and was hosted by NUIM, SHAPES coordinator.
Accessibility and Inclusivity
Despite the virtual format, the aim of the workshop was to be as accessible as possible to attendees, Spanish, Italian and International Sign interpretation was provided as well as real time captioning in English throughout.
Opening Remarks and Introduction
The workshop was opened by the SHAPES coordinator Mac MacLachlan beginning with an introduction into the SHAPES project and outlining the goal of the project as it comes to the close, reflecting on the importance of the person centredness of the project and the digital solutions and technological innovations being used as tools to assist in the barriers of older persons and how this might be carried forward into the future.
Presentations and Insights
Following the introduction, Katja Seidel and Jamie Saris, from NUIM, outlined how SHAPES Stories was a valuable tool in detailing and understanding people’s lives and the barriers they face. Helmut Lutzmann, one of the SHAPES Stories participants, discussed his experiences participating in the SHAPES project and its influence on his work at the Senior Citizens Academy in Dresden. Sonja Grigoleit, Michael Cooke, Barbara Guerra, and Ioannis Kefaloukos further delved into various aspects and findings of the SHAPES project. These presentations generated significant engagement and questions from attendees.
Panel Discussion and Reflections
After a break, a panel discussion hosted by Mac MacLachlan included esteemed guests like Lucía D’Arino, Mark Wheatley, Joke de Ruiter-Zwanikken, Catherine Holloway, and others. The dialogue centered on the future of projects focusing on ageing, health, and technology. Attendees were also encouraged to participate through chat and Slido questions.
The recording of the 8th Dialogue Workshop can be found on the SHAPES YouTube channel.
Authors: Anastasia Campbell, Ilia Marchev and Tom Hall
