🚀 Excited to share that I had the privilege of joining the very first AgeTech conference in Switzerland at Google, hosted by Margerite GmbH. A heartfelt thank you to the hosts Dr. Tobias Daniel G. from HealthCare Futurists GmbH, Ivan Büchi from Margerite GmbH, and Silvio Biaggi from Margerite GmbH for orchestrating yesterday’s insightful and forward-thinking event.

🔍 The conference was a deep dive into the intersection of aging and technology, and I walked away with three major takeaways:

1️⃣ Financial Abuse in Older Adults: A staggering statistic from the conference revealed that in 2023, 78.3% of older adults were targeted for financial abuse, with 19.8% falling victim. The financial repercussions are monumental, with losses up to 675M/year reported by the Haute Ecole Arc – Ingénierie (Institute de Lutte Contre la Criminalité Économique, ILCE). This highlights the urgent need for protective measures and awareness. Thanks for the great talk Olivier Beaudet-Labrecque!

2️⃣ Challenges in AgeTech Innovation: Insights from the “Lab to Live” research by OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences shed light on the development challenges of AgeTech innovations. A key issue is the lack of involvement of older adults in the development process, which is often led by younger experts. This disconnect results in technologies that fail to meet the needs of older people, leading to low acceptance and market entry failures. The perspective of the end-user is crucial for success. – Cornelia U. , Cora Pauli, & Robert Huber

3️⃣ Beyond Technological Innovation: The conference emphasized that technological advancements, while significant, need to be complemented by social innovations. Initiatives like “caring communities” and “living in old age” play a crucial role. Die Stiftung Alterswohnungen der Stadt Zürich SAW is pioneering with its “digitale Alterswohnung” (digital retirement home), allowing older adults to explore and experience innovative living solutions, championing a self-determined life in old age.

🤝 The exchange of knowledge and experiences with all the experts was truly enriching, and I am eagerly looking forward to the next AgeTech conference in 2025 to discuss further innovations and know-hows in this vital field!

Big thanks also to:
Ralph Rimet tooyoo.ch Swiss Carers Vincent Tervooren Simone Eicher Personal Robotics Michael Früh Google Cloud Skills Boost Sandra Mavrakis-Mistelbauer Katja Hornung, Dr. Ludwig Hasler Corina Baumgartner Innovation Zurich Life Science Zurich digital health center bülach Easierphone University of St.Gallen Centre for Digital Health Interventions

#AgeTech #MedTech #Innovation #Care #SwissTech #TechnologyForGood #SwissInnovation #Switzerland #Aging #Longevity #HealthyAging