New technologies and insights into the biology of aging, the “-omics revolution”, and quickly advancing possibilities to target and repair specific aging-associated genetic and epigenetic sequences make the promise of ever-higher human age seem to get in reach. But what if aging-associated mechanisms can soon be precisely targeted in order to allow increasing life expectancy to a level hitherto unknown to humankind? What will the implications be for society – in which generations living at the same time will suddenly double or triple? How will we ensure dignified aging, how will we have to shape our surroundings and structures in order to enable a just and lifeworthy society for all? In this public evening lecture participants embark on a journey into a society in which everyone will have the chance to live up to 250 years of age.

Prof. Dr. Matt Kaeberlein

Professor of Pathology, University of Washington; Co-Director of the Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging; Director, Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute (HaLo)

Prof. Dr. John Mollenkopf

Distinguished Professor, City University of New York Graduate Center; Director, Center for Urban Research; Chair, Public Policy Subfield in Political Science

Prof. Dr. Susanne Zank

Chair of Rehabilitative Gerontology at the University of Cologne; Director of the Center for Gerontological Special Education; Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences; Member of the Board of Directors of ceres; President of the German Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics

moderated by

Prof. Dr. Christiane Woopen

Professor for Ethics and Theory of Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne; Executive Director of ceres, University of Cologne, Germany; Chair of the European Group on Ethics of Science and New Technologies

New Approaches to Measure Quality of Life in Very Old Age

Expert Discussion

The population of people with a very high age is one of the fastest-growing population groups in Western societies. However, measuring their specific quality of life has proven a challenge for many studies aiming to find out about how old people live, what their standards and expectations of living are, and how the societal and economic framework must be adjusted or shaped according to their wishes and to allow their maximum well-being.
Researchers of the University of Cologne have developed a new model for the assessment of quality of life with regard to these prerequisites. The „Challenges and Potentials (CHAPO) Model of Quality of Life of the Very Old“ is a flexible framework including different approaches to quality of life for use in interdisciplinary studies with very old persons.
CHAPO was developed for a new study in Germany’s most populous State, North-Rhine Westphalia, to find out about how the very old currently live. We invite all interested scientists, researchers, policy makers and stakeholders to learn about this model and to discuss it with us in this breakfast session. The meeting will also serve as a forum for international networking, exchange of ideas and findings, and the development of ideas for future international research projects and German-American research co-operations in this field.