August 20th and 21st saw the launch of a new and exciting not-for-profit partnership, EasyCare Health, at the EasyCare International Conference in Solihull.
Delegates from many of the key international research centres in China, India, Turkey and Iran were joined by health partners from the Netherlands, Uganda and Costa Rica and business partners from the UK, USA to explore the role that EasyCare can play in turning the negative perceptions of aging and frailty into opportunities for rejuvenating communities and societies. Civic and health leaders from Solihull outlined their views about the power of the older population to drive the development of a wellbeing culture in communities and localities through volunteering, peer-to-peer support and asset based community development.
The international partners outlined the current development of EasyCare and raised both opportunities and challenges for the further exploitation and development of EasyCare (through EasyCare Health). The different models, across the world ranged from the implementation of EasyCare as a national standard for all over 70s in Portugal, through the national programme in the Netherlands, based on GP identification of individuals at risk, to the longitudinal research being undertaken, at scale, in China. A key emerging theme was the critical role that asset based community development can make in empowering older people and their carers, through the adoption of the EasyCare tool.
Health Exchange, the major UK pilot site for EasyCare, demonstrated the impact that an EasyCare community development approach can make on the wellbeing of frail, elderly, and those at risk of becoming frail. The focus of the conference was on empowering older people for independence and wellbeing with a view to ensuring that older people live an independent, productive and healthy life.
Delegates fromt the conference left Solihull with no doubt that old is an opportunity that the world cannot afford to miss. Please take a moment to watch this short video explaining more about trhe EasyCare model and Health Exchange’s role in it.
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