Conference: "Preventing frailty, a challenge for the welfare system".

Europe is facing unprecedented demographic change, making it vital to adopt new policies aimed at active and healthy ageing of the population and prevention and early action on frailty, disability and dependency. One of the main concerns of European citizens is the disability associated with ageing and the associated loss of quality of life.

Studies show that one of the main determinants of disability is frailty and that frailty is reversible in many cases. Dealing adequately with frailty provides more years of life to the patient, ensures a higher quality of life and also leads to greater efficiency in the use of social and healthcare resources.

All of the above has led the European Union and the Member States to decide to co-fund a Joint Action for the prevention of frailty in the framework of the Public Health Programme 2014-2020. ADVANTAGE was created, in which the 22 participating Member States will establish a common European framework to address the problem of frailty over a three-year period.

The objectives of this meeting between the Spanish partners of ADVANTAGE and health policy makers, professionals, patients and carers dedicated to frail older people or those at risk of frailty are:

• To discuss the importance of addressing frailty, both for individuals and for health and social services.
• Introduce ADVANTAGE JA to Spanish stakeholders.
• Establish avenues for future collaboration between ADVANTAGE JA and Spanish stakeholders.