Workshop: Making the most of the Potential of Assistive Technology

Dear KT-EQUAL/SPARC supporters

I am pleased to confirm that the next KT-EQUAL workshop, in this case organised jointly with and hosted by the Brunel Institute for Ageing Studies (BIAS), will take place on 17th September at Brunel University, Uxbridge. It is now possible to register for this workshop by going to the SPARC website (www.sparc.ac.uk). There is no charge for attendance just an enthusiasm and interest in extending the quality of life of older people through informed user-focused research and its application.

Making the most of the Potential of Assistive Technology will provide a round-up of recent developments in AT and the underlying research aimed at enhancing independence in the home, improving safety and security, extending the use of the car, managing continence, maintaining the body and stimulating the brain. It will also look at new models for the delivery of care through employing AT and how current research is supporting industry and government in the design, development and adoption of new technologies.

Several speakers have confirmed their participation:

Ms Keren Down MBE, Director of FAST, New Service Quality to Support Self-Care
Professor Rachel McCrindle, University of Reading, Safety and Security in Later Life
Mrs Eleanor van den Heuvel and Ms Felicity Jowitt, Brunel Institute for Bioengineering, Tackling Ageing Continence - and several other speakers are in the process of confirming/reorganising other commitments so that hopefully they will be able to take part:

Professor Heinz Wolff or colleague, Brunel Institute for Bioengineering, "The Companion" - Independence, choice and self-sufficiency for the housebound.
Dr Arlene Astell, St Andrews University, Nourishing the body and saving the soul
Dr Ruth Mayagoitia-Hill, Applied Medical Research Group, King's College London, From chairs to stairs
tbc, Middlesex University, Older drivers and technology
tbc, Centre for Information Systems Research, Brunel University, Supporting industry and Government in the design, development and adoption of medical devices.
The programme is being constructed and more details will be available in late July. We expect to start at 10.30am with registration opening at 10.00am and to finish before 4.30pm, with several presentations as well as lunch and refreshment breaks in between!

The workshop will be of interest to a wide range of practitioners and policy makers, health and social care practitioners, industry, charitable and government bodies concerned with the needs of older people, as well as researchers and academics from engineering, biological, social science, medical and health care disciplines.

Older people are especially welcome.

Please make certain to register sooner rather than later, especially if you are about to go on holiday as you might forget to register when you return!!!

We are delighted to be running this event with BIAS, a new and exciting grouping of researchers drawn from within and outside Brunel University.

Kind regards and best wishes for a relaxing summer

Peter Lansley
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Professor Peter Lansley, BSc, MSc, PhD, MCIOB, FCOT
Director, KT-EQUAL – Knowledge Transfer for Extending Quality Life
School of Construction Management and Engineering, URS Building,
University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 219, Reading, RG6 6AW, UK
p.r.lansley at reading.ac.uk www.sparc.ac.uk
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My source: The KT-EQUAL/SPARC list
(I have registered and hope to attend this workshop)