The demographic development, result of increasing life expectancy and decreasing fertility rate in more or less all European countries, produces a higher health consumption. Health systems face more and more challenges and pressure deriving from this situation. Therefore, it is important to put in place strategies and explore innovative solutions to ensure the older population can benefit from the best possible care.
Since 2012, HOPE is a partner of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, the main objective of which is to increase the average healthy lifespan of EU citizens by 2 years by the year 2020. In particular, HOPE is involved in the Action Group on Functional Decline and Frailty.
In January 2017, HOPE released the paper “HOPE vision on Integrated Care” stressing out the social aspect of integrated care, especially in the context of ageing population, as elderly patients often are chronically ill and subjects to co-morbidities.
On 29 January 2020 the European Commission’s new work programme was published. Under the sixth priority – ‘A New Push for European Democracy’ – the Commission announced its intention to launch a non-legislative initiative on the subject.
On 16 November 2020, the European Commission released a Green Paper on Ageing Initiative. The Green Paper aims to set out the key issues and discuss ways to anticipate and respond to the socio-economic impacts of demographic change and to harness the opportunities. The Green Paper will also reflect on the implications for the cohesion in our societies, looking beyond the purely economic side of demographic change.
In its contribution, HOPE urges EU decision makers to avoid handling hospital, healthcare and social care issues separately, but instead promote cooperation activities on EU level.
In parallel, on 12 October 2020, the Council of the EU adopted conclusions on Improving the well-being of older persons in the era of digitalisation.
From 27 January to 21 April 2021, the European Commission opened a Public consultation on the Green Paper on Ageing.
EU projects
TeNDER
affecTive basEd iNtegrateD carE for betteR Quality of Life
ICT4Life
ICT services for Life Improvement for the Elderly
AgeingWell
Network for the Market uptake of ICT for Ageing Well
Managed Outcomes
Operations Management and Demand-based Approaches to Healthcare Outcomes and Cost-benefits Research