The Gerontopole Brussels - Centre of expertise for Gerontology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Central theme: Active & Healthy Ageing

The interdisciplinary research program of the Gerontopole Brussel searches biological, medical, psychological, social, functional and environmental predictors of frailty/robustness. This project is called the Brussels study on the early predictors of frailty (BUTTERFLY). A lot of data is already collected from community dwelling older persons. Now, in this study, the focus is on the most important predictors of robustness/frailty. Besides the data from the BUTTERFLY Study, data from the
Belgian Ageing Studies (BAS) will also be used. In the BAS, people need to score themselves on different aspects of their living conditions. These most important predictors will be used to screen people’s robustness/frailty. To make things accessible, these predictors will be included in an ehealth application, where people can score themselves. This will be realised in close collaboration with the World Health Organisation. People who scored themselves will be invited to visit a Healthy Ageing Center. Here intervention to prevent the development of frailty and to optimising Active and Healthy Ageing are discussed with the person. We plan to install a Healthy Ageing Center in six communities in Flanders.