> Theme: active and healthy ageing
> Timeline: May 2015 – Apr 2020
> Key Words: #oldage #longitudinalstudies #ageing
Description
Researchers have a definition of “ageing population” and indicators for ageing, but no definition of “who is old”. ATHLOS is comparing 20 international studies on over 340 000 individuals to come up with a scientific reply to the question. This new definition of ‘old age’ will be based on many characteristics rather than just the classical chronological definition of age will be used for calculating projections in each specific population and guide policy recommendations.
Final objective(s)
- ATHLOS aims to achieve a better understanding of ageing by identifying patterns of healthy and active ageing and their determinants. The project will ascertain risk and protective factors, their interactions, the life stages when they impact health the most, and how modifying these factors—through promotion, prevention and timely clinical and public health interventions—can improve the health of individuals and populations.
- This deeper understanding of ageing will also result in a more realistic definition of ‘old age’ rather than the standard chronological approach applied so far.
Partners
The ATHLOS Consortium is coordinated by Dr Josep Maria Haro (PSSJD) and comprises 14 partners from 11 European countries:
- Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu (PSSJD), Spain
- University College London (UCL), United Kingdom
- King’s College London (KCL), United Kingdom
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain
- Spring Techno GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
- Internationales Institut Fuer Angewandte Systemanalyse (IIASA), Austria
- Karolinska Institutet (KI), Sweden
- Schweizer Paraplegiker-Forschung (SPF), Switzerland
- Terveyden Ja Hyvinvoinnin Laitos (THL), Finland
- Fondazione IRCCS Instituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (FINCB), Italy
- Uniwersytet Jagiellonski (UJ), Poland
- University of Southampton (SOTON), United Kingdom
- Harokopio University (HUA), Greece
- Age Platform Europe (AGE), Belgium
AGE involvement
AGE will be working to highlight the implications that a definition of ‘old age’ will have on our societies and especially on our public policies, as well as on intergenerational policies.
Moreover, AGE will be responsible of translating the findings and disseminate to AGE members.
Useful links
- Website: https://athlosproject.eu/
- Twitter account: @AthlosProject
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AthlosProject
- Contact person: Ilenia Gheno and Nhu Tram
