InnoRenew CoE, together with the Izola Retirement Home (Domom upokojencev Izola – Casa del pensionato Isola), organised an event to present technologies for older adults developed by the partners of the European project Pilots for Healthy and Active Ageing (Pharaon).  

Pharaon project partners, technology providers, residents and staff of retirement homes from all over the country gathered in the InnoRenew CoE building to learn more about the technologies that make it easier for older adults to live independently and to improve their well-being.

The meeting was a unique opportunity for the participants to get acquainted with different technological devices and tools from the European project Pharaon. The project, which is being implemented in five European countries, aims to improve the quality of life, social inclusion, independence and overall health of older adults, while enabling carers to provide more personalised care for older adults.

In addition to learning and testing existing technologies, the event provided participants with information on the current state of the art and developments in the field of technological assistance for older adults. Project partners, and in particular the technology providers, received feedback and opinions on the solutions offered, which can be better adapted to the expressed needs of consumers.

The following day, a roundtable discussion, moderated by Dr. Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director, was organised where different stakeholders – architects, older adults, technology providers and researchers – discussed practices and lessons learnt on working with older adults and new technology.

“Through the discussion we wanted to involve older adults in the process of developing technological solutions and thoroughly discuss their relevance,” said Dr. Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director, and added: “We listened to their suggestions and together thought about innovative solutions to improve the quality of life of older adults.”

The discussion was attended also by Alan Organschi, principal and partner at Gray Organschi Architecture, in the USA, and Director of the Innovation Labs at the Bauhaus Earth, a global interdisciplinary initiative that seeks to transform the building sector.

At the same time, the InnoRenew CoE hosted the InnoRenew CoE 2023 International Conference “Interdisciplinary Solutions for Sustainable Buildings”, providing participants with an additional opportunity to meet, network and exchange knowledge and experiences.