The Institute of Public Health of The American College of Greece was the chosen venue for the meeting held on the 10th and 11th of April, 2019.

The European Union’s Third Health Programme (2014-2020) co-finances the ADVANTAGE Joint Action. The project is currently in its final stage. Kronikgune and Osakidetza, representing the Basque Country, are part of a consortium formed by 22 European member states. They have a joint goal to establish a shared European framework to face the challenge of frailty. The project is involved in the redefinition and promotion of the integration of new policies focusing on the active and healthy ageing of citizens; prevention and early interventions on frailty, disability and dependence; and reaching a consensus in terms of the definition of frailty.

Spain, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal, Cyprus, Malta, Greece and Romania participated at this meeting, which was held under the title “Roadmap for southern Member States”. The event was an opportunity to share the analysis undergone by each of the Member States in terms of:

  • Frailty of the population
  • Frailty, on an individual level
  • Frailty management
  • Research
  • Frailty as one of the priorities of Public Health
  • Education on frailty

The round tables allowed representatives from each of the countries to share the activities developed over the past months to tackle the priorities defined within the framework of the ADVANTAGE project. Kronikgune presented part of the national strategy for the implementation and scaling-up of activities to address frailty in different areas. This strategy was developed by the following regions: Andalusia, Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha, and the Basque Country. The Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Well-Being also participated in the development of a national action plan for frailty prevention that is expected to spread to other regional healthcare systems.

The discussion opened by the Southern European Member States has allowed for the definition of priorities and indicators to monitor each of the activities. These results and those obtained after the meeting of the Northern European Member States shall converge in the drafting of a shared European roadmap and protocol.

For further information about the project, click here (https://www.kronikgune.org/advantage-proyecto/) or visit the official website(http://www.advantageja.eu/).