Strategy for Deployment of Integrated Healthy Aging Regions Based Upon an Evidence-Based Regional Ecosystem-The Styria Model.

Marcus Borrmann,Katharina Weinzerl,Johann Harer,Roswitha Wiedenhofer,Gabriele Schwarze,Eva-Maria Adamer-König,Kathrin Hofer-Fischanger,Karl P Pfeiffer,Robert Rehb,Katrin Pechstädt,Regina E Roller-Wirnsberger,Bernhard Rupp,Robert Mischak,Christian Hartmann,Sonja Lindner

doi:10.3389/fmed.2020.510475

Abstract

In 2013, the European Commission founded the platform European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging as a communication and innovation network in this domain. The goal of the current study was the development of an integrated regional ecosystem for active and healthy aging for the region of Styria via a step-by-step co-creation process. A mixed model approach was used to establish an ecosystem for active and healthy aging, which includes macro-, meso- and micro-level stakeholders in the province of Styria, Austria. Based on the results, eight recommendations for the deployment of a healthy aging region were developed. The visibility and accessibility of healthy aging products and services were evaluated as key factors for innovation in active and healthy aging in the region. Health professionals were identified as major drivers of innovation related to active and healthy aging in Styria. The study presented in this article assessed the capacities for healthy aging in the Styria region and identified the need to improve communication pathways between all levels of the public health system and market.

Highlights

Longevity is one of the main achievements of modern societies
Sustainable outcome parameters and key indicators detected for the search terms used were as follows: [1] quality of life [11, 15]; [2] self-reported health [15, 16]; and [3] frailty in the older population [17]; [4] the need for enforced communication [17] between all stakeholder groups; and [5] the importance of considering a very specific and individual situation regarding health, social and economic aspects [18, 19]
The initial data base search revealed 63 institutes, companies and organizations which could be attributed to the topic of active and healthy aging and were subsequently structured and clustered at the various public health levels in the ecosystem

Summary

Introduction

Longevity is one of the main achievements of modern societies. Almost one quarter of the European population is 60 years and older [1]. The European Union has launched numerous initiatives to adapt to changes in the social, medical and economic needs driven by this demographic shift. A special emphasis has been placed on prolonging “active and healthy life-years” across Europe [2]. In this context, in 2013 [3] the European Union (EU) launched the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging (EIP/AHA) with a major goal of encouraging a broad partner and stakeholder engagement. Several calls for individual partner and regional

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion