COMFORTage
Projecte multicèntric europeu liderat pel Centre de Recerca – Universitat del Pireu, dedicat a la predicció, monitorització i recomanacions personalitzades per a la prevenció i alleugeriment de la demència i la fragilitat.
Té com a objectiu establir un marc paneuropeu per a oferir solucions de prevenció i monitoratge, posant èmfasi en enfocaments comunitaris, integrats i centrats en la persona.
Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona lidera un objectiu específic dins del projecte: el desenvolupament d’estratègies d’estimulació cognitiva en persones amb deteriorament cognitiu lleu (MCI) i demència lleu, amb seguiment clínic de dos anys i anàlisi de biomarcadors.
El projecte combina dades retrospectives i digitals per personalitzar intervencions i avaluar-ne l’eficàcia.
The COMFORTage project is a European initiative aimed at developing an integrated and personalised care model for the prevention of dementia and frailty. Low birth rates, combined with increased life expectancy, are reshaping the age pyramid of the European continent. This trend is confirmed by the latest studies from the European Statistical Office (Eurostat), which indicate that fifty per cent of the population is now over 44 years of age. In the face of this widespread ageing, it is essential to be prepared to address age-related conditions such as dementia and frailty in the most effective way possible.
The COMFORTage project was created in response to the growing number of people affected by these conditions in Europe and seeks to drive a significant change in how they are currently managed. Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, together with 38 other organisations from 12 European countries, participates in this project led by the University of Piraeus (Greece), whose aim is to address the challenges associated with ageing by developing innovative technological solutions for the management of dementia and frailty. To secure the necessary funding, the project was submitted to the European Union, whose evaluators awarded it the highest possible score for excellence, structure and objectives.
Ace Alzheimer Center will focus on one of the pilot activities planned within dementia prevention–related projects. Together with other European clinical centres, the organisation will be responsible for implementing, evaluating and validating digital solutions designed to improve the quality of life of people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia, providing cognitive stimulation, health monitoring, social support and increased personalisation of care for both patients and their caregivers. In addition, as a result of the foundation’s expertise in this field, it will contribute highly valuable scientific data to the consortium, based on genomics, proteomics and digital biomarkers, to support the design of an artificial intelligence (AI)–based digital platform. This set of actions will make it possible in the future to achieve early diagnosis of dementia cases, which will not only improve quality of life for many individuals, but also enable accurate planning and implementation of the most appropriate interventions.
The importance of new technologies
Artificial Intelligence tools are becoming an integral part of modern healthcare. Through machine learning models capable of evaluating and comparing large volumes of data and references, patterns can be detected and multiple conclusions reached in a short period of time. This makes AI an essential tool for advancing medicine and for research, diagnostic and treatment systems across a wide range of conditions.
COMFORTage aims to create a virtual health platform based on artificial intelligence that will centralise the resources required for risk factor analysis, early diagnosis and personalised medical decision-making. The goal is to develop holistic and integrated health models that adapt to the individual needs of people with age-related disorders. More specifically, to promote healthy and active ageing, COMFORTage pursues the following objectives:
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To establish a person-centred model that takes into account individuals’ needs and preferences. By offering personalised care, the project seeks to improve patients’ physical and mental health, as well as to foster social interaction and overall wellbeing.
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To provide a holistic digital care model that supports and enhances clinical decision-making and patient health management.
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To facilitate the exchange of knowledge and data among healthcare professionals in order to strengthen primary and community care services, with the aim of improving prevention, early detection and delaying the progression of dementia and frailty.
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To contribute to the development of more effective and targeted health policies through collaboration among all stakeholders involved in healthcare delivery.
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To improve the relationship between older adults and digital health technologies by establishing learning systems that adapt to their needs and provide tools to enhance health education and digital empowerment.