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Express to Connect – Preventing loneliness among the elderly

23/09/2024

The objective for the Express to Connect (E2C) project is to transform the proven concept of the Storytable® working in an institutional frame, and develop, test and deploy a personal version valuable in a private home setting. This is done by applying specific, relevant media-content and social media principles (as seen on for instance YouTube and Facebook), which are not broadly used by elderly people today.

The objective for the Express to Connect (E2C) project is to transform the proven concept of the Storytable® working in an institutional frame, and develop, test and deploy a personal version valuable in a private home setting. This is done by applying specific, relevant media-content and social media principles (as seen on for instance YouTube and Facebook), which are not broadly used by elderly people today. With personal storytelling as an enabler for unfolding one’s own creative potential as a driver for story and interest-based social interaction among elderly people and the caring community the personal story table helps elderly people in living more joyful and satisfying lives.

The Express to Connect project addresses the overall European challenge of preventing loneliness and isolation amongst elderly people and it is funded by the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) joint programme. The E2C solution is targeted at a point in the service ecology (value chain) where it can contribute to a decrease in care- and health related social costs, and a rise in quality of life among elderly people. There is no tradition of stipulating the social cost of loneliness and isolation among elderly people. Never the less it seems to be of great relevance to advance in this area. The E2C project will as an integrated part of the project develop clear estimates of the cost of loneliness and isolation, and thereby create a firm understanding of the commercial potential in an E2C solution preventing loneliness.

The Express to Connect will apply a user-driven innovation approach (i.e living labs) to the development of the new solution, which ensures the final result will be aligned with the important needs of elderly people at risk of loneliness and isolation.

Express to Connect has partners in the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. The consortium includes both companies and research institutions: Waag Society, Substanz, Heutink, Verhalentafel BV, Halmstad University, Halmstad municipality, ENoLL effective members Forum Virium Helsinki and Laurea University of Applied Sciences and the coordinator is ENoLL adherent member Copenhagen Living Lab.

 

Find out more about E2C on their website and on facebook

Projects Magazine has published an article (page 20-25) in its AAL Forum special edition on the Express to Connect project. 


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