We created a regional bottom up structure, involving different players. Acting together, the partners in Ageing@Coimbra are launching a new vision for Active and Healthy Ageing in the Center Region of Portugal, revealing and promoting excellence and innovation in health and social care, active and healthy ageing, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The excellence of the cluster for diagnosis and management of brain ageing, dementia and vision impairment relies on the close collaboration of major stakeholders across the three EIP-AHA pillars. The health units at Coimbra Hospital and Universitary Centre and researchers at Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image (AIBILI) and Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS) play a central role in coordinating health professionals, involved in diagnosis and care of cognitive and vision deficits, with a special focus on detection of biomarkers (genetic, biochemical, neuropsychologic, biomedical imaging, functional) and promoting healthy life styles and awareness/empowerment. 

The innovative good practices rely on the intimate collaboration of the major regional stakeholders standing on multidisciplinary teams, state-of-the-art infrastructures and highly trained staff, in close collaboration with patient organisations and care providers. Change management in neurodegenerative diseases and diabetic retinopathy was achieved by a profound interdisciplinary culture and close interaction of institutions, in a bottom-up perspective.

Innovative services and technologies are advertised through web-based communications, professional networks and, mainly, through the involvement of local institutions in relevant international and national thematic networks (EIP-AHA, JPND, EVICR.net, Health Cluster Portugal).