| Introducing Sebastiaan Peek as our new Treasurer |
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| Sebastiaan, how did you get involved in ISG?
My PhD supervisor at that time (Prof. dr. Eveline Wouters) advised me to visit an ISG conference.
 When was your first ISG conference?
My first conference was in 2012, in Eindhoven. I also visited the conferences in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
What lessons could you take home from the conferences?
To me, the best conferences are a mix of:
(1) Meeting people who research the same questions, but from a different angle; (2) Seeing surprising research on other questions, that broadens my view; I think that the ISG conferences have been very successful in delivering both!
What was your thesis about?
My PhD thesis is titled: Understanding technology acceptance by older adults who are aging in place: a dynamic perspective. I was lucky enough to have been able to conduct longitudinal qualitative field research on how independent-living older adults acquire and use technologies over time. As such, my project did not focus on implementing technologies. Instead, it focused on understanding dynamics in older adult’s lives, and on how these affect initial and sustained use. I have created several conceptual frameworks that capture my findings. My thesis can be downloaded from https://sebastiaanpeek.nl/
What were the key-findings relevant to ISG?
Due to how research funding is organized, we are accustomed to conducting (mostly cross-sectional) research on how one type of technology is accepted. Because of this, we are really missing the bigger picture!
I think that we as researchers need better understand contexts in which technologies are used, and how these develop over time. Aging is complex, dynamic and personal. We need approaches that harness complexity, are sensitive to developments over time, and embrace individuality.
What is your perspective on ISG in the future?
I have to say I am a bit worried about ISG’s future. On the one hand, these are great times to be conducting research on the nexus of aging and technology. I feel that our research is valued by society, and is very interesting to be involved in due to its interdisciplinary nature. On the other hand, I am concerned about the ISG’s population age pyramid, which is skewed to the bottom and to the top. For the sake of ISG’s future, we need to be able to engage more ‘mid level’ researchers. I also feel that the conferences could be more interactive. |
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| Brazil chapter
Workshop Robotics: On October 15, a Robotics Workshop for older adults was held. The workshop was developed by Supera Parque Tecnológico in partnership with the Brazilian Society of Gerontechnology.
The goal is to bring the community of all ages closer to robotics and its everyday solutions.
The workshop involved building a robot and simple notion of programming on the computer.
  
For your information, we created small videos (up to 1 minute) to be shared by Instagram, Facebook and SBGTec website. In them, specialists will deal with specific issues in order to broaden the dissemination and knowledge about the themes of Gerontechnology. Look us up on Instagram
Dutch-Flemish chapter
Welcoming YOSHIKI TSUCHIDA at the University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands
(Physiotherapist / Nagoya university Graduate school of Medicine (Master) / Japan)
I am Yoshiki, from Nagoya Japan. This is the second year since I became a physiotherapist in Japan and entered to Nagoya university graduate school of master course. In Japan, I did research about the effects of prevention program for elderly as a full time graduate student while I engaged in home-visit rehabilitation for elderly as a part time job. From the middle of October to the end of the December, I am traveling in Europe to learn about elderly care service and technology.
On this November, I stayed in Utrecht. I joined the research project about healthcare technology for elderly care in prof. dr. Helianthe Kort research group. This research group has its focus on useful technology for actual care and play a role of bridge between research and practice. That was the reason why I chose this research group. During my stay, I did research on smartwatch. The objective of this research was to confirm the accuracy of smartwatch to measure physical activity and sleep by comparing with a conventional device. At the same time, I went to several hospitals and long-term care facilities. I learn a lot by seeing the difference between Dutch and Japanese care facilities.
I spent a very meaningful and enjoyable time in Utrecht. The Dutch elderly care service and health care technology have possibilities to improve the Japanese elderly care. I would like to keep this connection in future. I really appreciate students who joined my research, my coordinator Ms. Saida, my supervisor Dr. Sigrid, professor Helianthe and everyone who supported me.
German-Austrian-Suisse chapter
Upcoming event! Second Gerontechnology Conference hosted by the German Chapter.
So wonderful to learn that President Harald Kunemund (Harald), will soon be offering their second Gerontechnology conference in the German chapter – Congratulations!!
Conference
Ageing and Living in Place
Theme: “Opportunities and risks in the face of modern technology(s) and technologies”
The conference will take place in Switzerland, so please stay tuned to receive all the information necessary so that you can prepare for this upcoming event. Or visit the website for more information.
Korean chapter
The Senior Living & Welfare Expo (IGEF 2018) was held by the Korean Chapter
“An honorable and memorable experience for all members of the ISG Korea and KAPASS and other participants”. The Korean ISG Chapter presented this exciting event in Seoul, Korea on November 8 – 10, 2018 at the SENDEX, Seoul’s massive conference center. Keynote addresses at IGEF were delivered by Grand Master James L. Fozard, and by ISG President William Kearns, in addition to Korean Chapter President Park and colleagues and stakeholders in the Korean gerontechnology community.
 
Technology development for meeting the needs of our expanding older populations is a very hot topic, and the nations of Asia are dedicating significant resources to Gerontechnology development as a means to mitigate potentially severe economic consequences for the care and support of older adults.
North-America chapter
Walter Boot, who was co-program chair for ISG2018, is the new chair of GSA’s Technology and Aging interest group. The interest group meets face-to-face during GSA’s annual meetings and provides an opportunity for members to interact year round via GSA Connect, an online networking platform. For further information about the interest group contact Dr. Walter Boot, Dept. of Psychology, Florida State University.
Sinophone chapter
Gerontechnology has been active in Hong Kong!
Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub Opening Ceremony & Symposium by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University took place October 27 this Saturday. ISG was represented by Professor William Kearns, current President of the ISG, Professor Andrew Sixsmith, former president of the ISG, and Professor Yeh-Liang Hsu, Editor-in-Chief of Gerontechnology.
 The Gerontech and Innovation Expo cum Summit (GIES) 2018, the 2nd year of this event, was held successfully from November 22~25 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.
ISG was represented by Professor Yeh-Liang Hsu, Editor-in-Chief of Gerontechnology. This event has received overwhelming and positive response from the public and different concerned sectors, and recorded over 50,000 attendees within the four days.
Student chapter
My name is Johanna Birkland and I am excited to be the mentor to the International Society of Gerontechnology Student Chapter! I chose to become a mentor to the Student Chapter because my involvement in the ISG as a student helped to shape my career. In 2011, I helped to start the Student Chapter of ISG with several student colleagues, now professors and researchers. We still read, review, and collaborate together. In fact, my last presentation at ISG was with a colleague I met through the student chapter!
 I am currently an assistant professor in Communication Studies at Bridgewater College (USA). I study how older adults use existing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in their everyday lives. My Ph.D. is in Information Studies (Syracuse University, USA).
For the upcoming year, I would like to support the students in reinvigorating the chapter, and in particular, in helping students to network through the chapter itself.
I envision the chapter as a place where you can present your current work, get feedback, and make connections. If you are interested in the student chapter, please let me know!
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| Join our ISG Community and stay well informed by joining us on:
Facebook
Twitter |
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| Long-Term Care Aging-in-Place Conference – 2019 |
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| The Long Term Care Alliance for Aging-in-Place is an inter-disciplinary meeting point for all relevant stakeholders, to scrutinize present and future forecasted needs of aging boomers and answer the challenges ahead.
Many older people, active or frail, will choose to age at home rather than in institutionalized facilities, for financial, emotional and cognitive reasons.
Future solutions must answer medical, monitoring, service, social, emotional, functional and cognitive needs in individualized manners. It will create disruptive business, financial, regulatory and logistics paradigms.
The first interdisciplinary conference devoted to Aging In Place will take place on February 28th 2019 in Florence, Italy. Please confirm your attendance by registering on https://ltc-a.org/ |
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| The 12th ISG World Conference – 2020 |
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| SAVE THE DATE
for the 12th ISG World Conference * 18 – 20 May
Clarion Hotel, Trondheim, Norway Address: Brattørkaia 1, Trondheim, Norway
The local committee informed us that the International
Master Classes are scheduled on 21st and 22nd, May 2020.
Participating students can apply for a Travel Grant at the Herman Bouma
Foundation for Gerontechnology, http://gerontechnologie.nl/grants/
Theme: “Measures to Achieve Better Quality of Life and
Active Healthy Ageing”
Hosted by SINTEF and supported by the ISG members of the Nordic Countries.
For more information visit: https://www.sintef.no/ISG2020 |
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| Grant application opportunity |
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| The Herman Bouma fund for Gerontechnology Foundation offers support to “young”, promising researchers in the area of Gerontechnology with yearly grants for travelling or research scholarships. Interested? For more information: http://gerontechnologie.nl/grants |
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Recent publications by ISG-members: Huisman, E.R.C.M., Appel-Meulenbroek H.A.J.A., Kort H.S.M. A structural approach for the redesign of a small-scale care facility as a guideline for decision makers. 1-12. doi:10.1080/17508975.2018.1493569. ISSN: 1750-8975. (Print) 1756-6932 (Online). 17 july 2018. Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tibi20 Van Hoof, J., Kazak, J., Perek-Białas, J., & Peek, S. (2018). The challenges of urban ageing: Making cities age-friendly in Europe. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(11), 2473. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15112473 |
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If you are not yet a member of the International Society for Gerontechnology and would like to join a dynamic community of professionals dedicated to creating advanced technologies to support living well to a great age, then click here. By becoming an ISG member you automatically get full access to the latest research published in our international journal, Gerontechnology, and you will realize significant savings when you register to attend our ISG World Conferences held around the globe. |
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