New technology in combination with good care aims to improve the quality of life for the elderly
Chronic complex diseases and increased life expectancy
We live much longer than in the past and we will therefore get several different chronic diseases at the same time which means we need more medicines and more health care. At the same time, there will be fewer health care workers, we will have fewer children and the health sector will have to make financial cuts. It is estimated that we will lack over 20 million health workers in elderly care in Europe in 20 years, of which 260,000 will be missing in Norway.
People prefer to stay at home
– In our research, we see that the elderly are most comfortable living at home for as long as possible, and we want to support this with our research. We know that there are many opportunities to support the elderly and their relatives to lead a good and safe life at home, says center manager Bettina Husebø about the vision for the new research centre. – Both in Norway and elsewhere in Europe, we see that there is a steep growth in what we call the assistance technology market for the elderly, Husebø elaborates. – There are aids such as sensors that can be worn on the body, in bed or on the wall, and the Internet of Things also offers opportunities for elderly care. The challenge is that these pieces of equipment often do not talk to each other and, in addition, it can be difficult for older people to use them.
The new centre, which has been named CC.Age, will develop and test a new digital platform in collaboration with the elderly and home nurses in Bergen municipality to deliver new knowledge about which digital aids can contribute to an increased quality of life for elderly people living at home and how to get a seamless integration. Top international researchers and the industry are on the team that Husebø has built up. She has led the research group for elderly care at the University of Bergen since 2012 and the new center will consist of over 20 people. Husebø has also managed to assemble a scientific advisory committee with professors from Tohoku in Japan, Yale, Harvard, and Leiden. Researchers from the center will go on regular exchanges to learn the latest methods and it is planned to work closely with various companies from the IT and construction industry and with the EITRI incubator at the medical faculty.
We are proud of the research environment in Bergen
CC.Age will be located in the new premises of Alrek Helseklynge near both Haukeland University Hospital and Haraldsplass Hospital. Here, the centre’s specialists in global health and community medicine will be able to easily be in contact with partners in Bergen Municipality, the Institute of Public Health, the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), NORCE Health, Vestland County Council, Haukeland University Hospital and VID Specialized University. “Home-dwelling elderly people with complex illnesses are a growing group in society that is under-researched. I believe CC.AGE can contribute to securing the future of the elderly at home,” says Per Bakke, dean of the Faculty of Medicine.
Supports outstanding research
“The Trond Mohn Foundation is pleased to be able to support socially relevant research carried out in an outstanding research environment in Bergen,” says the foundation’s CEO Anne Marie Haga. “This is a very well-planned project with a high quality research team both in Bergen and at their national and international partners.”
Short video about the center (in Norwegian)
Sefas group homepage
Portrait frontpage: UiB, ingress photo: TMS
