“Supportive Technology and Design for Healthy Aging”
Date: June 25-26, 2008
Location: Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, WA, (on Columbia Gorge, near Portland)
www.skamania.com
Supportive Technology and Design for Healthy Aging
The future of healthy aging will be inextricably linked with the development of new technologies and creative designs to support older adults in remaining independent and maintaining their quality of life. As expressed by Dr. Russell Morgan, “The next Great American Dream is to live healthy and independent lives well into old age. The convergence of technological innovation, cutting-edge research and human compassion is beginning to make this dream come true.”
We welcome you to the third conference on technology and healthy aging, organized by the Institute on Aging at the University of Washington, the Washington Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, and Mithun, with assistance from the Oregon Center for Aging and Technology at Oregon Health & Science University, and Intel. These organizations share a common goal to enhance opportunities for active and independent aging. In addition to hearing from leaders in the field of technology and design, and to view posters of innovative projects in this growing area, audience members will have a chance to visit the exhibits and meet other colleagues who share the goal of improving the environments of older adults in order to enhance their quality of life.
Technology Conference Objectives:
The primary goal of this conference is to introduce professionals in gerontology, health care, long-term care, architecture and design to some of the exciting new developments in technology and design. These innovations have as a common goal to enhance elders’ control over their living environments and to improve their quality of life, whether they live independently in the community or with some assistance in a long-term care facility. Through this conference, professionals in the fields of architecture, design, computer sciences and engineering will gain a better understanding of the design and technology needs of our aging society.
Specific objectives include:
(1) To introduce specific examples of physical design and technology that can be used in elders’ living environments to monitor their activities of daily living, and in some cases to guide them in these activities.(2) To discuss how these design features and technologies can help older adults in long-term care maintain autonomy.
(3) For elders who live in their own homes, discuss how these technologies and design features can assist them in remaining independent while monitoring their safety and security.
(4) To describe innovations in community and housing design that allow older adults to age in place.
(5) To discuss research testing the potential role of robots in eldercare and as health aides in the community.
(6) To present research findings on the efficacy of several technological interventions aimed at improving the quality of life of diverse older users.
Who should attend: The primary audience will be professionals working with and designing environments for elders with a diverse range of health and functional abilities. The conference will benefit nurses, social workers and other mental health professionals, occupational therapists, architects, designers, engineers and computer scientists interested in gerontechnology, as well as administrators and staff of long-term care facilities. Attendance is limited to 150 participants.
Conference Sponsors:
- UW Institute on Aging
- Washington Association of Homes and Services for the Aging(WAHSA),
- Mithun
Go to Conference Agenda (page 2)-->
