The EURECO 2021, organised by the University of Siegen was held in Germany on December 2nd and 3rd with the support of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Affairs, Nordrhein-Westfalen. The event focused on approaches to promote the development of equal digital participation, especially for vulnerable groups. People with disabilities and impairments often still have no or only limited access to digital applications, digital media or other forms of ICT-based technologies that have become routines in social life. Therefore, different working groups (approx. 20) were dealt with digital innovations addressing individuals, services providers, and regional development.
In this framework, the EU_SHAFE (Smart Healthy Age-Friendly Environments) project was presented as a source of best practices and experiences for a successful improvement of multilevel policy instruments regarding age-friendly environments in Europe.
EU_SHAFE, represented by Kai Schnackenberg, Ministry of Social Affairs, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, participated in the event’s workshop ‘’Municipalities– Supporting and embedding digitalization of caring communities to ensure sustainable practices of care’’.
During his presentation, Kai highlighted the different approaches promoted by EU_SHAFE to ensure better quality of life, more inclusive and sustainable health care systems and elderly’s access to health and care services. The workshop’s audience was composed mostly by participants with backgrounds in digital transformation processes, disability, mental health and long-term-care.
The presentation of EU_SHAFE was judged particularly successful by the audience and great interest has been expressed towards the high-level knowledge exchange and the European collaboration promoted by the project.
