Discovery Park summit looks at issues around healthy ageing

Published by

Giles Gwinnett

Ian Philp, founder of Age Care Technologies - picture contributed

Kent's Discovery Park - the county's life science business park - is at the forefront of innovation surrounding healthy ageing.

The over-85s are the UK's fastest growing age group and data shows that if everyone in the UK had an extra year of healthy living, it would be worth a huge £5 trillion to the UK economy.

More than 230 attendees came to the park on June 20 for its Innovation Summit, where current trends were examined and experts called for the life science network in Kent to join forces to make the county a leader in healthy ageing and longevity.

Mayer Schreiber, CEO at Discovery Park, said: "Healthy ageing is a significant challenge that affects us all. With the proportion of people over 60 expected to double by 2050, it is essential that we foster innovation and develop technologies to address the complexities of ageing. From combating loneliness to enhancing integrated care, we want to champion people-focused solutions.

"Discovery Park is at the forefront of scientific and technological advancements, and our annual Innovation Summit plays a vital role in bringing together this dynamic network to forge connections and drive meaningful progress."

Age Care Technologies, which is a tenant at the park, is a company currently running a national demonstration project in east Kent, looking at preventive care for older people.

The project uses leading tools to allow older people to report concerns for their health, independence and wellbeing, connecting them to support as well as providing data for policymakers.

The keynote speaker at the summit was Ian Philp, the founder of Age Care Technologies.

He said: "The Innovation Summit brought together an incredible network of experts working in technology, drug discovery, medicine and academia.

"Using this momentum, we are on a mission to make Kent a leader in longevity and ageing well, where healthy ageing is accessible to everyone. Ageing is a fact of life, and we all have a personal stake in this important endeavour."

Giles Gwinnett

Giles Gwinnett is a writer at The Business Magazine. He has been a journalist for more than 20 years and covered a vast array of topics at a range of media settings - in print and online. After his NCTJ newspaper training, he became a reporter in Hampshire before moving to a news agency in Gloucestershire. In recent years, he has been covering the financial markets along with company news for an investor-focused web portal. His many interests include politics, energy and the environment. He lives in Dorset.