Research

The research activities of the Academy of Ageing Research cluster into three overlapping areas:

Healthy Ageing

The Academy of Ageing Research is concerned with how people age healthily to maintain a high quality of life, independence, and self-determination for as long as possible. It is important to note that healthy ageing concerns people of all ages, and that even very old people, possibly with chronic diseases, can still gain a lot in terms of health. People with severe disabilities also have a right to healthy ageing.

Research questions that the Academy of Ageing Research deals with include:

  • How can technologies and digitalisation contribute to greater independence and self-determination?
  • What role does a health-relevant lifestyle play, including physical training, nutrition, and social participation?
  • What is the potential impact of climate change on the quality of life of older people and what can be done about it?
  • How can care structures be optimised to not only compensate for deficits, but also to maintain and increase the health of both clients and caregivers?

Systematic learning from practice

The Academy of Ageing Research is concerned with how the system of health and nursing care can be ensured and optimized. In doing so, it makes use of routine data and registers from the care system itself.

Research questions that the Academy of Ageing Research deals with include:

  • Which measures from routine care can be used as indicators for the quality of care and what are their quality criteria?
  • How can the need for action to improve the health of people in need of care be derived from routine data?
  • How can the health, nursing and integrative care needs of the population be ascertained from nationwide registry data?
  • What interventions set actually improve care and increase independence and health, and how do these outcomes manifest in routine data?
  • How can the perspective of those receiving care, their relatives, and caregivers be systematically collected and what are the consequences?

Healthy work

The Academy of Ageing Research is concerned with how the situation of care and nursing staff can be improved and their health promoted.

  • How can digitalisation and mechanisation contribute to making the everyday life of bereaved and caring persons easier?
  • What is the effectiveness and efficiency of workplace health promotion measures?
  • How can the perspective of caregivers and carers be systematically collected and what are the consequences?
  • How can the transfer of knowledge be optimised, which didactic measures have which effectiveness and how can the quality of care be increased as a result?

Ongoing projects

Linked Care

Linking and connecting, Linked Care is intended as a comprehensive digital system to ensure a stringent flow of information and a continuous supply of information in mobile care, assistance and therapy. The demographic development causes a strongly growing need for care, assistance and therapy with a simultaneously decreasing supply of health professionals. This results in […]

Keep it Simple

The aim of the project is to design a mobile eLearning platform on which all information and training measures that a care facility needs are available

Smart Companion

Smart Companion combines autonomous low-cost robot sensors (vacuum cleaner robots) with smart voice interaction for assistance systems

Completed projects

REMIND

ReMIND has designed a solution that touches upon aspects like tailored care, taking the social environment into account, focus on personhood and social connectedness using a robot.

Virtual Trip

This project aimed to develop an application for virtual reality trips of elderly people in need of care for therapeutic purposes.

Way-Key

The aim was to develop a safe and motivating tool for the promotion of healthy mobility for people affected by dementia.

STRANDS

The Academy for Research on Aging was a partner in the EU-funded research project STRANDS. In this project, we aimed to develop a long-term autonomous robot together with eight international partners.

HOBBIT

In this project, we were involved in the development of a robot for seniors who live on their own and are at risk of falling.

Playful cognitive training for cyclists

Since older cyclists are often involved in traffic accidents, the aim of this project was to investigate the effect of computer training on the multitasking ability and thus road safety of senior citizens.