EuGMS SIG on Gerontechnology & Digital Health

“Ongoing, upcoming, and future projects within the SIG on Gerontechnology & Digital Health"

Dear Colleagues,

In recognition of the transformative role that technology and digital health play in healthcare, the SIG on Gerontechnology & Digital Health invites you to our 2nd webinar of 2025.

Date: April 2, 2025
Time: 16:00–17:30 CET

The webinar will begin with an update on ongoing projects, covering topics such as point-of-care ultrasound, international consensus on digital solutions in long-term care, and the use of social robots in geriatric care.
Following these updates, we invite all SIG members to participate in an interactive session where we will discuss an upcoming project and brainstorm new initiatives to be developed within the SIG. These may include guidelines, consensus statements, surveys, specific research projects, or systematic reviews.

Clinical questions for discussion:

• How can we ensure that digital solutions are accessible and user-friendly for older adults?
• What are the key benefits and challenges of implementing digital health technologies in geriatric care?
• How can digital health tools be effectively integrated into routine clinical practice?
• What evidence-based strategies can support the safe and ethical use of technology in older populations?
• How can we address the digital divide to prevent exclusion of older adults from technological advancements in healthcare?

This is not an exhaustive list, and we welcome your input on other clinically relevant questions and projects within our SIG.

The agenda of the upcoming meeting is as follows:

Agenda
16:00 – 16:05 | Welcome
16:05 – 16:35 | Update on ongoing projects

• Point-of-care ultrasound in geriatric care (8-minute presentation + 2-minute discussion)
  Presented by Siri Aas Smedemark, MD, PhD, post.doc.
• International consensus on the use of technology and digital health solutions in long-term care (8-minute presentation + 2-minute discussion)
  Presented by Dr. Sarah Janus
• Social Robots project (8-minute presentation + 2-minute discussion)
  Presented by Assistant Prof. Slawomir Tobis

16:35 – 17:05 | Upcoming project

• Digital Health in Geriatric Care – a topic for the EGM journal (30 minutes)
  Presentation by Prof. Dr. Jürgen M. Bauer

17:05 – 17:25 | Discussion on new project ideas within the SIG (20 minutes)

• Brainstorming potential projects, including guidelines, consensus statements, surveys, research initiatives, and systematic reviews.

Your participation in this meeting is highly valued, and we look forward to an engaging discussion that fosters collaboration and innovation within our SIG.

Best wishes,
Slawomir Tobis & Siri Aas Smedemark
Co-chairs, EuGMS SIG on Gerontechnology & Digital Health

Details on speakers

SPEAKER 1: Siri Aas Smedemark, MD, PhD, post.doc.
TITLE 1: Point-of-care ultrasound in geriatric care
BIO 1: Siri Aas Smedemark, an MD specialising in geriatric medicine, serves as a clinician and researcher at Hospital Lillebaelt’s Department of Internal Medicine and Centre for Innovative Medical Technology at Odense University Hospital in Denmark. Her research includes clinical studies and randomised controlled trials that assess the effectiveness of lung ultrasound and various point-of-care technologies in early diagnosis and timely interventions to reduce adverse health care events among older adults. Siri also co-chairs the SIG Gerontechnology & Digital Health and leads the newly established GENIUS network, a geriatric ultrasound initiative within the SIG.

SPEAKER 2: Dr. Sarah Janus
TITLE 2: International consensus on the use of technology and digital health solution in long-term care
BIO 2: Dr. Sarah Janus is a psychologist and health scientist and works as an assistant professor at the Department of Primary and Long-term Care of the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands. She researches psychosocial care innovations for people with dementia, focusing on person-centered approaches, assistive technology, and care environments. She supervises seven PhD students and is part of the Interdem taskforce on Assistive Technology to improve dementia care.

SPEAKER 3: Associated Prof. Slawomir Tobis
TITLE 3: Social Robots project
BIO 3: Slawomir Tobis has a PhD in health sciences and Msc in engineering. He is an assistant professor at the Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Science at the University of Medical Sciences in Poznan, Poland.
His main research focus is new technologies and robots in care for older people, and in developing care systems and need assessments for older persons. Slawomir also co-chairs the SIG on Gerontechnology & Digital health

SPEAKER 4: Prof. Dr. Jürgen M. Bauer
TITLE 4: Digital Health in Geriatric Care – a topic for the EGM journal
BIO 4: Prof. Jürgen Bauer is Professor and Chair of Geriatric Medicine & Research at Heidelberg University in Germany. Before moving into the field of geriatric medicine Prof. Jürgen M. Bauer was trained in gastroenterology and as a specialist in clinical nutrition. His research interest has focused on nutrition and its relationship with functionality in older persons. He has contributed to various consensus and research papers that focuses on protein intake and amino acid supplementation in older adults, and has been awarded the honorary prize of the German Geriatric Society. From 2007 until 2015 he was a member of the executive board of the EuGMS. He is also on the editorial board of the Journal of European Geriatric Medicine.

Join us!
Be on time, mute your microphone when you're not talking and enjoy this moment with your colleagues!
Please notice that the meeting will be recorded and that the audio and video recordings might be used by the EuGMS for dissemination on the EuGMS website and social media.

Click here for participating in the meeting!