On 5 September 2023, SHAPES – Smart & Healthy Ageing through People Engaging in Supportive Systems – was hosted in the European Parliament by Sirpa Pietikäinen, Member of the European Parliament.

Europe’s Digital Decade

Europe’s digital decade presents a vision and avenues for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030 based on skills, infrastructures, business and government. With its rights and principles putting people at the centre of the digital transformation, it provides the basis for SHAPES to fully exploit the opportunities the project can provide to older people and people with disabilities.

Purpose of Engagement

The purpose of the engagement with Members of the European Parliament was to showcase SHAPES as a proof-of-concept resource that Members of the European Parliament can use to support their constituents in terms of equalisation of opportunities for digital access and technology in health and care.

Event Details

SHAPES Coordinator Mac MachLachlan, University of Maynooth, welcomed participants and provided a short introduction to the project before the host Sirpa Pietikäinen set the scene elaborating on the EU’s Care Strategy.

Presentations

  • SHAPES solutions and results were demonstrated by Alexia Zurkuhlen, gewi-Institut für Gesundheitswirtschaft e.V. and Maria Jose Santofimia Romero, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha who presented the SHAPES smart mirror.
  • After the break that allowed for continued engagement between SHAPES partners and Members of the European Parliament, Michael Cooke, University of Maynooth and Sari Sarlio-Siintola, LAUREA talked about how SHAPES is leveraging data for health, wellbeing and inclusion.
  • Ilenia Gheno, AGE Platform Europe then presented the policy guidelines for person-centred integrated care developed in the context of the project.

Attendance and Engagement

Over 20 Members of the European Parliament expressed interest in the project beforehand and in addition to the host Sirpa Pietikäinen (Finland), Tomislav Sokol (Croatia), Radka Maxova (Czechia), Istvan Ujhelyi (Hungary), Josianne Cutajar (Malta), Grace O’Sullivan (Ireland), and Ciara Barry, representing Chris MacManus (Ireland) office were eventually able to attend the engagement event. MEPs engaged with questions and comments on the SHAPES results, the European Health Data Space, how to continue to collaborate on policy, and tried out the smart mirror for themselves.