AAL event speakers announced

The five keynote speakers for the first ever Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme Forum in Odense, Denmark, have been announced.

The event, which will take place on 15-17 September, will address the themes of “active ageing: smart solutions, new markets".

Claus Hjort Frederiksen, the minister of finance for Denmark, which initiated the €400m public welfare technology foundation, will be one of those to address the audience.

Jan Mühlfeit, European chairman of Microsoft, and Lars Kolind, a mathematician, entrepreneur and the new chairman of a new AAL initiative – the welfare technology region – will give keynote speeches.

So willl Morten Loekkegaard, a member of the European Parliament, and vice-president of its committee of culture and education, and John Beard, director of the Department of Ageing and Life Course at the World Health Organisation in Geneva.

Lena Gustafsson, president of the AAL association, said: “Over the next 20 years all industrialised and developing nations will experience a demographic transition from predominantly younger populations to older populations.

“The AAL Joint Programme is the world’s largest initiative in dealing with the challenges posed by the demographic shift.

"The AAL Forum 2010 will harness thought leadership and real world developments in creating the momentum towards economically viable and sustainable market uptake. The imperative is even greater given today’s economic climate.”

The speakers will aim to stimulate discussions surrounding smart solutions for an improved quality of life in later years. A variety of new solutions and technologies aimed at elders will be showcased at an exhibition alongside the conference.

Link: AAL Europe