The Erasmus+ SMARTageCARE project concluded on 31 August 2026, following three years of European research, development and collaboration.
Coordinated by Bruno Giesteira (FBAUP; ID+), within the University of Porto, SMARTageCARE brought together nine partner organisations from eight European countries, combining expertise in areas including design, education, ageing, digital transformation, health and care, entrepreneurship and citizenship.
At the core of the project was the development of a Smart Ageing approach capable of responding to one of Europe’s most significant contemporary challenges: ensuring that digital transformation contributes positively to older adults’ autonomy, wellbeing, participation and quality of life.
Rather than approaching ageing through technology alone, SMARTageCARE placed people and their experiences at the centre of the process. Research, co-creation, education and community engagement were combined to explore how digital tools and services can become more accessible, meaningful and inclusive for older populations.
Among the project’s major outcomes is the SMARTageCARE Toolkit, a collection of practical and educational resources structured around four areas: Ikigai, Digital Transition, E-Health & Wellbeing, and Citizenship. Comprising 38 activities, the Toolkit supports formal and informal caregivers in day centres, nursing homes, and NGOs through eHealth daily activities that foster learning skills and ethical reflections in digital transition and active citizenship participation.
The project also established a wider Smart Ageing ecosystem, including a European Ambassadors Network involving older adults in the co-creation process, alongside training resources and knowledge intended for professionals and organisations working in this field.
In Portugal, the final phase of SMARTageCARE was marked by the European Symposium “Ageing with Purpose in a Digital Society”, held on 15 July 2026 at the Rectorate of the University of Porto. The event brought together researchers, professionals and stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of ageing within contemporary digital societies and to present key results developed throughout the project.
While the Erasmus+ project has now formally concluded, its legacy extends beyond its three-year funding period. The resources, research, methodologies and European networks developed through SMARTageCARE provide a platform for further work on the relationship between ehealth, digital inclusion, and active citizenship, leveraging the sense of meaning – IKIGAY.
The established ambassadors network, composed of selected 65+ members from each of eight countries, is a pillar for disseminating the intellectual and toolkit outcomes, assessing the impact in the aforementioned contexts, and discussing improvements.
Explore SMARTageCARE and its results: https://smartagecare.fba.up.pt .
