The SHAPES project is a project funded under the European Commission program, Horizon2020, with more than 21 million euros.
Shapes, whose leader is the University of Maynooth (Ireland) is a very ambitious project that brings together 36 different partners from 14 European countries in order to create an open ecosystem that allows the large-scale implementation of a wide range of digital solutions to support and extend a healthy and independent life.
In parallel with the study and collection of data and information on aging in different contexts and living environments in different European countries, the organizational factors and socio-economic aspects that influence the delivery of socio-health services will be primarily analyzed, with a view to long-term sustainability of European systems and the need to improve health and care services for older people.
From a technical point of view, the project aims to build an open and available platform which can be accessed for the use of digital tools to support different needs. Guidelines will therefore be created for the implementation of digital solutions and the correct interaction and implementation of support programs.
The Project also provides for the testing of large-scale technologies with a series of interconnected pilot activities, carried out iteratively as the SHAPES action evolves and new technologies and applications are made available on the shared platform. In particular, 7 contexts have been identified in which the platform and digital solutions will be implemented. Around 2000 people will be involved at European level in the following areas:
- Smart living environments for healthy aging in the home context;
- Improve home and community care;
- Control and optimization of drug intake;
- Psychosocial and cognitive stimulation for the promotion of well-being;
- Treatment of elderly people with neurodegenerative diseases;
- Home physical rehabilitation;
- Cross-border exchange of health data in support of mobility and accessibility for older people.
Particular attention in the development of the platform and solutions will be placed on ethical issues and on the sustainability and replicability of digital solutions and the developed platform.
AIAS Bologna, the only Italian partner, will be involved in all phases of the project, in particular it has been identified as:
- Leader in the development of a study that starts from the analysis of the models of health and care systems that promote active aging, identifying the inputs, outputs, links and resources to build a transferability model of integrated care models in others domains and other European contexts. replicability study;
- Pilot site for testing solutions in 3 of the seven identified living environments (1, 2, 4);
- Organizing body of one of the eight workshops with stakeholders, which at national and European level, will aim to involve users, caregivers, service providers, socio-health authorities, public administrators, private and public companies for the dissemination of results, promotion of the SHAPES platform and the creation of further collaboration networks.
The first SHAPES Project Meeting took place from 11 to 13 November in the Maxima Hall of the University of Maynooth. During the meeting, the 36 partners had the opportunity to get to know each other and to share purposes and commitments within the project. Collaboration and communication methods within the partnership have been agreed and shared.
Each partner had the opportunity to share their experiences, their knowledge and raise technical-organizational questions related to the start of the project
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