In the framework of the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) forum 2013, CORAL*, EUREGHA**, AER and the ENGAGED project organised a lively talk on regional innovation in active and healthy ageing. Five regional politicians explained how they boost innovation in active and healthy ageing in their regions and how they collaborate at European level. Some short videos from regions were also presented, giving the 50 participants the opportunity to discover which are the best practices all over Europe. “It is essential that Europe addresses the issue of large-scale implementation of health and social care innovation”, said Agneta Granström, County Councillor of Norrbotten (S) and Chair of the AER e-he@lth network, “For now we only have innovation islands.”

This interactive event allowed to share a number of regional strategies to innovate in health and to go back home with new ideas for the welfare of European seniors through independent living and integrated care. “Design thinking is not only about designing objects and buildings, it is about redesigning processes in health and social care”, said Brigite Van Haaften, Vice-Governor of the Province of Noord-Brabant (NL).

Among the proposals made by the politicians and the audience, the idea of setting a group of Ambassadors to pass on the message of innovation in active ageing locally, in different languages, received support. “We need to find some multipliers for our actions”, agreed the participants.

Commissioner Neelie Kroes welcomed this joint event through a message to the participants. The AAL Joint programme is an important pillar in the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP AHA) initiated by the European Commission.