Technologies in movement ability assessment for older adults: World Universities Network brings together researchers from University of Alberta, Zhejiang University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Experts in seniors' health collaborate to leverage solutions for growing global aging populations

Communications - 14 June 2017

The World Universities Network is funding researchers at the University of Alberta to partner with Zhejiang University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong through three workshops. Partnerships extend beyond WUN members and include Sapporo Medical University and J!NS Meme, both from Japan. Their mission: to identify common issues, share knowledge and leverage intervention technologies for movement in older adults.

University of Alberta's Eleni Stroulia from the Department of Computing Science and Lili Liu from the Department of Occupational Therapy represented the U of A. World Universities Network (WUN) sponsored a workshop in Zhejiang, China, on March 27. Delegates from universities in China and Japan attended the workshop at the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine's Corbett Hall on June 12. The group will gather in Hong Kong in December for a third and final workshop.

"Growing aging populations are global. It is important for us to collaborate, share knowledge and leverage each other's technologies so we can provide innovative solutions when it comes to seniors' health. We are also preparing the next generation of researchers by presenting them with challenges faced by older adults and creative solutions beyond Canada," says Liu, chair of occupational therapy.

The group also toured the Smart CondoTM and the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital during their visit.