Event Archive

Mr Dan Levitt is a renowned international speaker, senior care leader, author and gerontologist specializing in helping create better lives for seniors. His goal is to teach millions of people how to make a difference in the lives of older adults around the world. As a renowned speaker, he has delivered inspiring speeches that have influenced thousands of people on four continents. As the CEO of KinVillage, he leads the development of the social and care needs of over 300 seniors, inspiring a team of over 400 employees and volunteers to commit to continually improving their quality of life. Dan is an Adjunct Professor of Gerontology at SFU. He is on the board of directors of both CommonAge and the International Federation on Ageing as well as a Surveyor with Accreditation Canada.

Dr Cory Kidd is the Founder and CEO of Catalia Health, a healthcare technology company that uses a combination of psychology and AI to successfully engage patients through interactive conversations. This happens through mobile, web and social robot interfaces; together these interfaces create a relationship that reaches patients at any time they need support. Data gives Catalia Health’s customers valuable information to understand the daily activities and needs of patients.

Dr Kidd received his MS and PhD at the MIT Media Lab in human-robot interaction and his BS in Computer Science at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Wendy A. Rogers, Ph.D., is Khan Professor of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is a Certified Human Factors Professional (BCPE #1539). She is Director of the McKechnie Family LIFE Home and the Health Technology Education Program; Program Director of CHART (Collaborations in Health, Aging, Research, & Technology); and Director of the Human Factors and Aging Laboratory. Her research focuses on advanced technology design to support the autonomy of older adults, with and without disabilities. She explores the benefits of technologies including robots, smart-home technology, digital health, and wearables for cognitive, physical, and emotional health.

George Demiris is the Mary Alice Bennett University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and holds joint faculty appointments in the Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences of the School of Nursing where he serves as Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, and the Informatics Division of the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine. He explores innovative ways to utilize technology and support older adults and their families in various settings. He also focuses on designing and evaluating personal health systems that produce patient-generated data including “smart home” solutions for ageing. He directs the Penn Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratory for Healthy Aging and is Co-Director of the Penn Community Collaboratory for Co-Creation.

Dr Rebecca Jamwal (PhD, BOccTher(Hons)) is an occupational therapist from Victoria, Australia. She has worked as Occupational Therapy Research Lead at Austin Health, a Victorian public healthcare service, since January 2019. In addition, she currently maintains a patient-facing role (Disability Liaison Officer, Austin Health) and continues to research with Summer Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation committed to resolving the issue of young people living in aged care. Throughout her career, Dr Jamwal has worked with people with complex care needs as a result of brain injury and other acquired neurological disorders. Her PhD thesis explored this group’s experience of electronic assistive technology use.

Heidi Anttila (PhD, University of Helsinki, 2009) is Senior Researcher at Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. Currently, she leads a national “Technology Supporting Smart Ageing and Care at Home Programme” that developed technology-supported home care services in regional projects. In 2018-21 she coordinated the national “Health and Wellbeing Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Programme (Hyteairo)” and in 2020-21 she took part in the conceptualization of how to utilize functioning information across social and health information systems, the national health data archive (Kanta) and the Personal Health Record. Her research topics include health technology assessment (HTA), disability and rehabilitation, and technology.

Dr Desmond Mao is a dynamic emergency physician delivering patient-centred care through both direct clinical work and system change. He has successfully pioneered several emergency departments and interhospital collaborative initiatives and built new innovations that have enabled improvement in patient care. He is an accomplished researcher who has published more than 40 papers and received multiple grants and awards. As the co-founder of a recent start-up, he introduced the ambient assisted living solution with radars that not only monitors for falls but also provides a remote health monitoring solution for hard-to-reach isolated seniors.

Jennene Buckley was recognised as one of the top 10 global ageing influencers at the Global Ageing Festival in 2021 and won several national and international awards for digital transformation and innovation. Mrs Buckley's career includes 30 years in health and aged care and 20 years as CEO of Feros Care. Mrs Buckley currently sits on the National Aged Care Advisory Council, Digital Health Advisor to the Australian Digital Health Agency and Bond University's Health Innovations Advisory Board. Mrs Buckley is also Founding Director of Enkindle Consulting, that exists to support government, peaks and aged care providers through the next 5 years of reform with the goal of creating a world-class aged care system.

Singaporean entrepreneur Janice Chia founded Ageing Asia Pte Ltd with the mission to drive innovation in the way future generations age, by engaging the business community to create better products and services that will enable healthy ageing, independent ageing and dignified ageing. Ms Chia has accumulated vast experience from visiting over 500 residential and aged care homes from over 15 countries. Since 2009, she has been actively involved in consulting organisations seeking global best practices in housing, health and care models that can be translated for the Asian market.

Dr Toini Harra has wide experience in teaching and developing in higher education: 2001-2007 at the University of Jyväskylä and at Metropolia UAS since 2007. She has wide national and international collaboration and partnerships.

Dr Harra’s main interest is to study, promote and use collaboration for the meaningful occupation and good life. Her expertise is in partnership between higher education, industry and citizens, inter- and trans-disciplinary collaboration, user-involvement and therapeutic relationships. She is focused on collaboration and co-creation in research and in various development projects in Finland and abroad. Besides higher education, she has over 20 years experience in occupational therapy and rehabilitation practices from different organizations (university hospitals, communal health care and private business).

Dr Shannon Freeman is an expert in the health and social care needs of older adults in rural and northern communities, both among community-dwelling older adults and those in long-term care. She holds a PhD in Health Studies and Gerontology from the University of Waterloo and an MSc in Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation from Tohoku University School of Medicine in Japan. Dr Freeman established CTAAN – the Centre for Technology Adoption for Aging in the North, a national innovation hub and collaborating center dedicated to enhancing innovations in technology development and implementation to support older adults in rural and northern communities.

Ms Wendy Wang is Operations Manager of Tencent SSV Gerontechnology Lab. She initiated the application of Tencent’s AI capabilities to the security protection of elderly care services and ageing-in-place, exploring and practicing Tencent’s technological power in the ageing sector.

Mr Kevin Zhou is Assistant General Manager of Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co., Ltd., Chairman of Shanghai Elderly Industry Promotion Center and Vice Chairman of Shanghai Rehabilitation Device Association. Since 2012, Mr Zhou has been involved in events for the emerging senior care market in China, including CHINA AID, the biggest exhibition platform of senior care in China. He also plays a leading role in launching the rehabilitation products rental pilot programme in Shanghai with the Government.

Mr Michael Xu is Executive Director of Hongkong Greater Bay Career Linked Company Limited and Senior Consultant of Guangzhou Yuexiu Health and Wellness. He has 14 years of experience in the healthcare industry, investing, operating and managing more than 20 projects including elderly communities, rehabilitation hospitals and nursing homes.

He is also the Founder of the elderly care brand "China Merchants Guanyi Home" under China Merchants Group and the Sino-Australian joint eldercare brand Aveo China. He also co-founded Shanghai Tide Health Campus, which is now in operation as the first-generation joint venture CCRC comprehensive elderly care community in the Mainland.

Ms Miki Konoike has worked at Maruha Nichiro Corporation since 2019 in the Overseas Strategic Sales Department. She is in charge of arranging exports and intermediary trade of food items to Hong Kong and other areas of the world.

Mr Ronald Tang holds an MSc in Food Industry: Management and Marketing from the University of Hong Kong and a BA in Hotel and Catering Management from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is currently Cluster Co-ordinator of Hospital Food Service at New Territories West Cluster of Hospital Authority, and previously worked as Catering Manager at St. James’ Settlement and Hospital Chef at Hospital Authority. He is also a voluntary trainer in NGO - Culinary & Quality Improvement Specialist as well as an ERB Cooking Class trainer for St. James’ Settlement.

Dr Glen Moriarty is a psychologist who marries his background in psychology with his love for technology. He is driven to reduce health disparities and ensure emotional support to underserved populations worldwide, decreasing human suffering and reducing economic burden.

As the CEO, he has led 7 Cups in raising over 12M in funding and ushered in dozens of collaborations with private, non-profit, university and government partners. Dr Moriarty feels that serving vulnerable populations is key to solving broader health challenges and has aligned reach with revenue to maximize impact. His stewardship and leadership have led 7 Cups in reaching 53 million people in 189 countries in less than five years.

Dr Christoph Guger studied electrical and biomedical engineering at the University of Technology Graz in Austria and Johns Hopkins University in the USA and received his PhD in 1999. In 1999 he started the company g.tec which now has branches in Austria, Spain, the USA, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong. g.tec produces high-quality neurotechnology and real-time brain computer interfaces for the research, medical and consumer market. The company is active in many international research projects about brain-computer interfacing, neuromodulation, stroke rehabilitation, assessment and communication with patients with disorders of consciousness and high-gamma mapping in epilepsy and tumor patients.

Ms Lise Pape is the Founder of Walk With Path. She holds a BSc in Human Biology from King’s College London and a double masters MA/MSc in Innovation Design Engineering from Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art. Ms Pape has worked in finance for J.P. Morgan, in advertising for AOL’s Advertising.com, and as Investment Manager at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark at the Royal Danish Embassy in London.

Ms Pape founded Walk With Path based on her personal experience with Parkinson’s suffered by her father. Path Finder, a visual cueing shoe attachment, was launched in 2017.

Ms Louise Rogerson is a Chartered Physiotherapist with over 25 years of experience with older people and those with neurological conditions. She started working with technology in 2013 and has worked with Howz to develop a remote monitoring solution that can identify changes in behaviour and so facilitate early intervention. Ms Rogerson is passionate about the opportunities in rehabilitation for older people and the benefits of technology to keep people independent and well for longer. She is currently Chief Clinical Officer at Howz and continues to practice as a physiotherapist working in the community.

Ms Vania Mota is Head of the Health and Risk Assessment Department at Ordem de São Francisco do Porto. She is responsible for the project coordination and implementation as a pilot site and is also in charge of the communication and dissemination of VR2CARE activities.In her role at the institution, she works directly with the health and social professionals from the senior residences and nursing homes, in order to provide the best health and social care for all the patients living there.

Mr Tomas Posker had been visiting Silicon Valley and wanted to share this amazing experience with his grandma. Despite all the attempts to get the communication apps running remotely and despite Tomas's experience in IT, he wasn't able to do so. He didn't find anything that would work well so he started to think about a completely new solution. That is how the Oscar idea was born. Today, Oscar is a very helpful platform for home care agencies, senior care facilities, social care and a variety of companies that need to communicate with senior clients.

Dr Ian Philp is the founder of Age Care Technologies – the winner of the 2021 United Nations WSIS prize for innovation in healthy ageing. Dr Philp was a practising physician for 35 years in the UK National Health Service and as Executive Medical Director for 8 years. As Professor of Health Care for Older People at the University of Sheffield, he led teams which won the UK Hospital Team of the Year and the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for research into improving the quality of life of older people. Dr Philp was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2009 in recognition of his work to improve the lives of older people.

Prof Du Peng is Director and Professor of the Institute of Gerontology at Renmin University of China, and was formerly Vice President of Renmin University of China. He is also Vice President of the China Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and Vice President of the China Population Society. His main research fields are ageing population, policy on ageing issues, population and development. His publications include China’s 20 Years in Ageing Society: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects.

Mr Wong joined the Social Welfare Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in June 1988. He held office as Assistant Director of Social Welfare (Subventions) from March 2018 to September 2021, and as Assistant Director of Social Welfare (Youth and Corrections) from September 2021 to February 2023. Since February 2023, Mr WONG has taken up the post of Deputy Director of Social Welfare (Services), taking care of the planning and development of social welfare services. He is currently the Chairperson of the Assessment Panel of the Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care.

Dr Lam is a specialist in paediatric and community medicine and is currently Chief Executive Officer of Haven of Hope Christian Service.

He is a non-official member of the Executive Council of the HKSAR Government and has been a member of the Steering Committee on Primary Heaithcare Development since 2018. He also serves as Chairmen of the Council for Carbon Neutrality & Sustainabie Development, Steering Committee on Review of Manpower for Healthcare Services in Residential Care Homes and the Healthcare & Wellness Training Board of the Vocational Training Council. Dr Lam was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star in 2019.

Prof. Ling Kar-kan is a professional town planner. He was the Director of Planning of the HKSAR Government (2012-2016), President of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners (2007-2009) and Director of the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (2017-2023). He was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star in 2017 and InnoStars Award 2021. He is now the Director of Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). He serves the community as the Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Society and Chairman of the Country and Marine Parks Board. He is also the Adjunct Professor of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Professor of Practice (Planning) of PolyU.

Mr. Chua Hoi Wai is the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), which represents over 500 non-governmental social services organisations. The HKCSS aims at building a socially sustainable society through enhancing the development of social services and policies. The HKCSS provides a joint platform for cross-sectoral collaboration and social innovation, and has championed gerontechnology and transitional social housing in recent years.

Mr. Chua is a graduate of the University of Hong Kong in Mechanical Engineering. He studied Master of Social Work at University of Illinois at Chicago and is now a social worker by profession. He was the President of the Hong Kong Social Workers Association (2004 – 2008).

Mr Reagan Dou is Vice President of Tencent SSV, Director of Tencent SSV Gerontechnology Lab and Executive Secretary of Tencent Foundation. Through technology and innovation, he strives to collaborate with all parties and explore innovative products and solutions in gerontechnology and all-inclusive elderly care, allowing more elderly to have a warm, healthy and energetic life.

Professor Teh Pei-lee is Head of Department of Management at the School of Business and Director of Gerontechnology Laboratory at Monash University Malaysia. She is passionate to drive research on how technology transforms business processes and organisations, and on a huge spectrum of impacts on people’s lives and society at large. She founded the Gerontechnology Laboratory at Monash University Malaysia in 2016. She runs substantive research programmes focused on developing technological solutions for mobility and ageing. She also founded the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Technology and Engineering Management Society (IEEE TEMS), Malaysia Chapter.

Grace Chan has dedicated over 26 years of her career to social welfare and is Business Director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. She is also a member of the Board of Directors and International Vice President of the International Federation on Ageing, demonstrating her commitment to improving the lives of older adults. In 2013 she was invited to join the Strategic Advisory Group for the WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. She has also served as a member of the Elderly Commission and currently sits on several committees and boards in the statutory bodies of Hong Kong. Her areas of expertise include long-term care, age-friendly cities and communities, elderly participation, and innovation and technology for ageing. Her contributions to the field were recognized in 2019 when she was awarded the Ageing Asia Global Ageing Influencer. This honour recognizes outstanding achievements by influential leaders impacting ageing in the Asia Pacific. In 2022, she was honoured with the Most Successful Women Award by JESSICA, Hong Kong's leading women's media, to recognize her achievements and contributions to society.