New digital health technology project
DKIT is set to partner with Trinity College in an innovative €4 million H2020 ‘SEURO’ project in digital health technology.
Researchers at NetwellCASALA, DkIT’s leading research centre for ageing, have successfully secured an award of €696,000 under the European Commission’s H2020 programme to advance research into the use of digital health technology to support older adults self-managing with multiple chronic health conditions.
SEURO (Scaling EUROpean citizen driven transferable and transformative digital health) is led by Trinity College Dublin’s Trinity Centre for Practice and Healthcare Innovation (TCPHI, School of Nursing and Midwifery) in partnership with NetwellCASALA.
The new three-year project will commence in May 2021 and aims to advance the previously implemented H2020 digital health platform ‘ProACT’ which was developed to empower individuals over 65 living at home with chronic diseases/multimorbidity to better understand and independently manage their health and well-being. The platform, which was successfully developed and implemented at a ‘proof of concept level’ under a previous H2020 project, in conjunction with the HSE in the North East and home care specialists Home Instead.
As part of the project the NetwellCASALA unit will lead large scale pragmatic randomised controlled trials in Ireland, Belgium and Sweden.
Dr. Julie Doyle principle investigator for SEURO at NetwellCASALA said: ‘We are delighted to continue our
ground-breaking research in the area of digital health technologies for multiple chronic disease self-management together with our partner in Trinity College Dublin. The ‘SEURO’ project will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of the ProACT platform in large scale trials across Europe as well as advance our understanding of key factors necessary to prepare organisations, localities and regions to scale, sustain and transfer people-centred, digital
health solutions.’
The new funding will support the recruitment of two postdoctoral fellows and one software developer within our research centre who will play a pivotal role in advancing this project and delivering much needed care to our older people with chronic health conditions.
Tim McCormac, Head of Research & Graduate Studies at DkIT added: ‘ The arrival of COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption and implementation
of newer, safer digital tools for healthcare. Our healthcare systems are now under more strain than ever, and are looking towards new technologies to help unlock new ways to support older people with multiple chronic illnesses which is exactly what the SEURO project aims to do. NetwellCASALA is has a wealth of experience in delivering complex high-profile research projects that aim to harness technology to improve the lives of older people.’
A love of books brought pupils from St. Malachy’s Girls School together while they were forced to stay apart last week as they led a charity ‘ Readathon’.
The young bookworms joined a national initiative, ‘Ireland Reads’, a new campaign aimed at getting the whole country reading.
The Friary Girls school decided to take part and in doing so, host a readathon to raise funds for the homeless in Dundalk.
Their champion reading efforts saw the school raise almost €1000 as of yesterday (Monday) with funds still coming in.
Second class teacher Niamh Kerley explained: ‘ We were actually trying to think of something that the kids could do when they were at home, but that we could all do together, so we came up with this idea for the readathon.’
‘I came up with a timetable, so that everyone would have their own slot to read during the day, which would keep us going from 9am to 2.45pm, our normal school day, so that by the end of it we would have been reading for an entire day.’
She added that the children taking part were asked to pick their own book to read.
‘We asked them to pick their favourite book, or whatever they wanted to read.’
Some of the most popular included the Horrid Henry series, Roald Dahl’s much loved books or J.K Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ series, and her latest popular book ‘ The Ickabog.’
‘Some of the younger kids read the picture books we use in class. Really it was whatever they enjoyed reading. It was a good mix across the school,’ said Niamh
She added that on Thursday last, the National Day of Reading, pupils from across all classes got on board to enjoy their favourite books and raise funds for the homeless in Dundalk.
The school signed up to the GoFundMe platform to raise
money for both Dundalk Simon and St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen.
‘It was a good opportunity to introduce the children to the work of these charities,’ said Niamh.
‘We are so thrilled to have been able to support Dundalk Simon and The Soup Kitchen.’
Dundalk Simon Community is a non-profit, registered charitable organisation located in Dundaln but serving the north-east of the country. They provide safe, supportive shelter and services for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The other charity being supported by the readathon is St Patrick’s Soup Kitchen. The charity was set up to cater for the homeless in Dundalk and provide hot meals to the homeless community. It caters for 15 to 20 people approximately each night it is open.
NEWS17