Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona) and Bimedica, a company specialising in the development of medical devices for older people, have established the Bimedica Classroom for Older Adults, a new initiative affiliated with the University Institute for Patient Care that aims to generate applied knowledge and promote academic and research projects focused on the wellbeing of older people.

Led by Dr Boi Ruiz, director of the University Institute for Patient Care, the Classroom has emerged in a context marked by the progressive ageing of the population and the growing prevalence of age-related chronic diseases. The aim of the initiative is to advance more comprehensive, person-centred care through collaboration between the University and the company.

Bimedica will bring to the Classroom its experience in developing solutions for the care of older adults, particularly with regards to urinary incontinence and related skin conditions. This knowledge will help drive research projects and educational activities designed to address the needs of patients, carers and healthcare professionals.

Impact on quality of life
“At UIC, we believe that people should always be at the heart of care, research and education. Partnerships like this help us further our mission of generating knowledge with a positive social impact and educating professionals committed to providing comprehensive care,” notes Boi Ruiz, director of the IUP.

For his part, Joan Parés, executive director at Bimedica, stresses that developing solutions for older adults must be based on a genuine understanding of their physical and emotional needs. In this regard, he explains that “the Classroom will help contribute to a model of care that takes into account both clinical aspects and emotional wellbeing.”

UIC’s University Institute for Patient Care works to incorporate the perspectives of patients and their support networks to improve care models and help promote more compassionate, comprehensive and person-centred care.