Last year, the series of workshops on the Silver Economy at the EWRC 2015 were considered a success. Participants highlighted the value of networking across regions in the area of health and ageing related smart specialisation. The workshops focused on mutual learning by sharing concrete examples and best practices from regions participating in the European Innovation.
This year, DG CONNECT therefore again decided to organise two workshops to discuss how digital innovation can transform Europe's ageing demographic into an opportunity for Europe.
The event will bring together regions and other stakeholders (industry, academia, policy makers and civil society) to look at challenges (in terms of public budgets, workforce, competitiveness and quality of life) and opportunities for new jobs and growth - building on the achievements of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing and other EU initiatives.
This year's sessions are:
11 October from 11:15 – 13:00, Brussels
Silver economy and regional development: examples of social and economic gains
The Call for Reference sites 2016 of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA), resulted in 74 regions from across Europe - having been awarded with the status of Reference Sites.
The title of "Reference sites" means that regional alliances – that encompass government authorities, industry and start-ups, research organisations and civil society – are recognised for demonstrating excellence in the implementation and scaling up of the most innovative products and services designed to meet the needs of their ageing populations.
Representatives of some of these Reference Sites will present examples of how they have succeeded in innovative approaches to seize the Silver Economy opportunities by involving public administration, industry, academia and civil society, e.g. in the implementation of integrated care programmes or age-friendly housing initiatives.
A main objective of this knowledge sharing and cooperation is to showcase the potential of the European Silver Economy. Participants will exchange on how to exploit this potential and leverage new productive investment.
12 October from 09:00 to 10:45, Brussels
Smart Homes for Independent Living – Opportunities for the growing Silver Economy
Connected homes can support people to stay independent in their house as they age. It can thereby improve quality of life, inclusion, supporting sustainable care and create growth and job opportunities in the building and ICT sectors.
This workshop will bring together thought-leaders and stakeholders interested and invested in the field of connected homes and active and healthy ageing. In a series of short, consecutive sessions, participants will look at the advantages from both the demand and supply sides of age-friendly connected home solutions, explore benefits from the perspective of "the regional policy maker" and discuss their own ideas on the opportunities and possible obstacles that can impact on large-scale uptake of age-friendly housing.
The workshop will offer an overview of the latest developments for smart and age-friendly homes, including interoperability, standards and "Internet of Things"-based services supporting independent living in European regions.
The aims are to learn from different regional experiences, to clearly identify benefits for citizens and regional development, and finally to pave the way for large-scale implementation of innovation in the area of smart homes for independent living.
The input from this workshop will feed into discussions on a common European reference framework on smart homes for independent living, which will help improve living conditions for people as they age and provide guidance for decision makers (investors, users, policy makers, professionals and regulators).
Target audience:
- EU, national, regional and local policy/decision makers
- Authorities managing and evaluating cohesion policy programmes and projects
- Other stakeholders: private companies, financial institutions, European and national associations
More about the programme. The event is free of charge but registration is required.