Imagine this...

Innovation in digital Health and Care is thriving in Holland. How can we all benefit?

Just returned from the wonderful SHE2024 (Smart Healthy Environments) in Maastricht Holland. No direct flights, so had to drive – but well worth the effort!!!

Transcending the built environment, healthcare and technological innovation, SHE2024 aimed to: “Confront both scientific and practical challenges”…In order to “Cultivate an environment that not only promotes individual wellbeing but also contributes to a more enjoyable and fulfilling living environment for all of us.”

The conference brought together leading researchers, practitioners and policymakers, to exchange ideas and explore innovative solutions, with specific emphasis on Living Lab and Real World evaluation.

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of events that promise the earth and deliver more style than substance, let alone proof of impact. Looking beyond a brilliant concept -or project - SHE is all about practical application, qualified proof of concept and sustainability. It is also a core component of the Dutch governments’ commitment to: “Stimulate, facilitate and finance a variety of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to realize the central mission of the societal theme Health & Care: ‘Five more years of healthy living and reducing socioeconomic health differences by 30%”.

This post could not do justice to all the beautiful people and projects I encountered in Maastricht, so I thought we’d try to bring exemplars to London for Agile Ageing Alliance (AAA's) next Leaders Forum. The Dutch government are willing to contribute to the cost. If this is something you’d like to see, feel free to express your interest at www.AgileAgeing.org. Innovate UK this could be an excellent opportunity for cross-border collaboration, lets talk...

When I arrived at SHE2024 I was asked to describe the kind of place I could imagine living in. The CGI above is an AI powered conceptual rendering of that environment. I look forward to making this technology available to designers and architects in the UK. Let’s have some fun…

The last word goes to Masi Mohammadi , the remarkably persuasive organiser of SHE2024: "Living transcends functionality; it is the essence where our emotions, secrets, and daily experiences come together".

Milan Petković, Niels H. Chavannes, MD, PhD, Camilla Evensson, David Abbink, Habib Chaudhury, Otto Trienekens,Prof. Dr. Nico L.U. Van Meeteren, Marta Fernandez Bertos, Annette Duivenvoorden, Prof. dr. Tineke A. Abma, Pauline van den Berg Nienke Moor, AFEdemy, age-friendly environments academy TECNALIA Research & Innovation, Silvia Urra Uriarte, Anne Binnendijk, Health~Holland, Twan Kerssens, Lilian Beijer, Chantal Huisman, Melissa Bruntlett, Esmee van Selst Peter Roelofsma, Olga Görts-van de Pas, Bige Tunçer Evdokimos Konstantinidis. Hans Adriani,Jessica Vogel, Paula Nelissen,Anne van Grinsven, Talis woningcorporatie. Margrieta Langins Samantha Mauger Washington Yotto Ochieng, EBS, FREng Jürgen Brandstätter Alex Cole Conan Bradley Julia Glenn Evert-Jan Hoogerwerf Sari Sarlio-Siintola Melanie Labor, PhD John Kelly Mariana Saraiva M P Louise Lafortune Paul N. Paul Quinn Nick Howe 💙 Stephen Page Kristina Pereckaite Thomas Jameson Luís F. N. Evangelia Chrysikou PhD Lloyd Crawford Luis Gomez Stelios Pantelopoulos Jesús Prada Alonso Luke Staniczek Dr Pamela Topping. Prof Richard Harding