IBERLONGEVA

IBERLONGEVA is a pioneering project designed to promote healthy and fulfilling aging through prevention and education. The initiative seeks to generate scientific knowledge on frailty in people over 60 years of age, orienting it towards prevention and contributing to reduce the pressure on public health systems.

IBERLONGEVA is the result of a cross-border collaboration between institutions in Spain and Portugal. The University of Salamanca, the University of Vigo and the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança participate in this initiative, which is supported by the Interreg VI A Spain-Portugal Program, POCTEP, funded by the European Union.

The project also includes the collaboration of several prominent entities, such as the University School of Nursing of Zamora, the University School of Nursing of Orense, the Escola Superior de Saúde e Bragança, the CTIC Foundation and Estudio de Comunicación, among others. Together, these institutions and entities will focus on making a complete radiography of frailty in urban and rural populations in the cross-border region.

IBERLONGEVA's main objectives:

1. To generate scientific knowledge, analyzing life habits and developing innovative strategies based on artificial intelligence to integrate, interpret and optimize health data related to aging.

2. Education and awareness, creating educational programs and establishing guidelines and recommendations to train the population in preventive health, thus promoting a healthy longevity..

The challenge of aging in Europe

The accelerated aging of the population is one of the main demographic challenges in Europe, especially in cross-border regions such as Ourense, Zamora, Lugo and Pinhal Interior Sul. These areas are among the most aged on the continent, with indicators that reflect a worrying “over-aging” in several rural localities.

For example, in Zamora there are more than 317 people over the age of 65 for every 100 under the age of 16, and in certain municipalities of Lugo and Ourense, up to 50% of the population is over the age of 65. These figures underline not only the urgency of initiatives such as IBERLONGEVA, but also the need for innovative solutions that turn these challenges into opportunities.

Innovation for healthy aging

IBERLONGEVA is not limited to data analysis. The project aims to empower people by helping them make informed decisions about their health through a digitized system based on artificial intelligence. This approach will make it possible to interpret the growing amount of health data and convert that information into practical strategies for healthy longevity.

In addition, pedagogical programs and educational guidelines designed to raise awareness of the importance of adopting preventive habits from an early age will be developed. The integration of artificial intelligence will make it possible to optimize the data collected and offer personalized recommendations that promote autonomy in health care.

The Management Committee of the Interreg VI A Spain - Portugal Cooperation Program (POCTEP) 2021-2027, POCTEP, financed by the European Union, at its meeting of 27/05/2024, agreed to grant ERDF aid of 1,734,759.52 euros to the project Integral digitized program, based on artificial intelligence, for the promotion of healthy aging (0137_IBERLONGEVA_6_E).