ADVANTAGE joint initiative which kicked off at the beginning of 2017 is co-financed as part of the EU Public Health Programme 2014-2020 to prevent frailty. During the three years of the project, 22 European Member States, including Kronikgune and Osakidetza (Basque National Health Service) representing the Basque Country, will define a common framework to address the issue of frailty. This study aims to foster the integration of new policies oriented to active and healthy ageing of population, as well as for prevention and early action regarding frailty, disability and dependency.

On 15th June, the first meeting of ADVANTAGE Spanish members and representatives of different spheres took place at IMSERSO, the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services in Madrid. The event gathered national, autonomous community and local health and social care policy-makers, professional medical and nursing associations, representatives of bodies and institutions, foundations and associations of senior citizens, trained and untrained carers as well as senior citizens at risk of frailty. The purposes of the event were to discuss the importance of addressing frailty, introduce ADVANTAGE to Spanish stakeholders and finally, set up future collaboration routes between the project and the stakeholders.

Kronikgune and Fundación Matía took part in the round tables organised. As well as enhancing knowledge of the initiative, other issues were addressed and discussed at the round tables.

  • Table 1. What is frailty and what are its consequences?
  • Table 2. A European action to prevent frailty.
  • Table 3. Care for people who are frail or are at risk of becoming frail. The role of stakeholders.
  • Table 4. Other points of view regarding frailty prevention.

The issues discussed generated a great deal of interest among the attendees who expressed their wish to collaborate with this initiative in the future.

During the early months of the ADVANTAGE project, a bibliographic search for evidence of frailty was launched, to subsequently draft a report on the current state-of-the-art regarding this issue. This task aims to compile knowledge on frailty in the following fields: at individual and population levels, regarding frailty management and care models.

Should you wish to learn more about the project, click here: https://www.kronikgune.org/advantage-proyecto/