Robert Anderson

Ireland

Rafał Bakalarczyk

Poland

researcher of social policy, especially long-term care. Assistant professor in the Institute of Labour and Social Policy(IPiSS) and in the Warsaw University. Member of the social commission of the elderly, bound with Ombudsman office. Since 2024 – the advisor in the office of Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Policy. In the years 2013-2025 –active member of the excluded caregivers movement. Expert of social policy in the Jagiellonian Club Centre of Analysis and member of the group of experts due to public services in Batory Foundation. Author of many articles and reports concerning long-germ care, elderly support and the disability policy.

prof. Alina Borkowska

Poland

is a neuropsychologist, Head of the Department of Clinical Neuropsychology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Collegium Medicum. Conducts research in the fields of neuropsychology and neurobiology of cognitive functions in psychiatric, neurological, autoimmune, and metabolic disorders, as well as in patients after cardiac surgery. Research efforts include functional neuroimaging and neurobiological markers of brain damage. Collaborates with international centers, including the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Neuroimaging Center at Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA, and EUOROCAT at the University of Tarragona, Spain. Frequently invited as a speaker at conferences, both nationally and internationally, and has authored over 500 scientific publications.

Julio Brandl

Germany

is the CEO of AssistMe. Julio studied Psychology and Business Administration and worked for several years as a management consultant in different verticals, before he founded his first start up in the area of elderly care by forming a IoT platform for medical data.

Within AssistMe, Julio developed a digital assistance system to make elderly care better. Within the strategic partnership between AssistMe and TZMO, the common goal is to relieve caregivers and to increase the quality of life of care recipients in in- and outpatient care.

Dr Megan Davies

England

is a Senior Research Associate at the University of East Anglia working on the Care Home Activity Providers facilitating Public Involvement in research as meaningful activity for care home residents (CHAPPI) project, and a Research Collaborator with the University of Basel.

Megan completed her PhD ‘Tri-National Ethnographic Multi-Case Study of Quality of Life in Long-Term Residential Care’ (TRIANGLE) at the University of Basel and Maastricht University as part of a TRANS-SENIOR project in 2023. During her PhD, Megan undertook three rapid-ethnographic studies in long-term residential care homes in Switzerland, the UK and the Netherlands, to explore person-centred practices in each of the three homes and how this impacted resident quality of life, with a focus on resident experiences, putting their voices at the forefront. Megan has a Master’s degree in Applied Sports and Exercise Science, where she investigated the impact of neuropsychiatric behavioural symptoms in people living with dementia. Her current project aims to explore how prehabilitation/rehabilitation can be implemented as a person-centred activity for people living in care homes, including for those with dementia. Megan hopes to understand how we can individualise (primarily physical) activities, such as strength and conditioning and physiotherapy in a group setting, in line with resident wishes and needs to maintain/improve/recover physical and cognitive function.

Wlodzislaw Duch

Poland

is the head of the Neurocognitive Laboratory in the Center of Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies, and the Neuroinformatics and Artificial Intelligence group in the University Centre of Excellence Dynamics, Mathematical Analysis and Artificial Intelligence at the Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland. PhD in theoretical physics/quantum chemistry (1980), postdoc at the Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles (1980-82), D.Sc. in applied math (1987). President of the European Neural Networks Society executive committee (2006-2008-2011), Fellow of the International Neural Network Society (2013), and the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (2022), Expert of the European Union science programs, member of the high-level expert group of European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). Worked in the School of Computer Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (2003-07, 2010-12 as the Nanyang Visiting Professor). Visiting professor at the University of Florida; Max-Planck-Institute, Munich, Germany, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Meiji and Rikkyo University in Japan, and several other institutions. He is/was on the editorial board of IEEE TNN, CPC, NIP-LR, Cognitive Neurodynamics, Journal of Mind and Behavior, and 16 other journals; published over 380 peer-reviewed scientific papers, has written or co-authored 6 books and co-edited 21 books, and published about 300 conference abstracts and popular articles on diverse subjects. In 2014-15 he served as a deputy minister for science and higher education in Poland. His DuchSoft company has made in 1990 the GhostMiner data mining software package, for many years marketed by Fujitsu.

Marzena Grochowska

Poland

Business trainer, mental resilience trainer, brainologist, career coach, safety specialist, H&S trainer, business mentor and women’s enterprise specialist. Chairman of European Institute of Brainology and co-owner of “Neurony Do Roboty” brand. Head of brainology - well-being management post-graduate degree at Wyższa Szkoła Administracji i Biznesu in Gdynia. Professional development mentor, author of numerous development programmes. Expert at 2021-2025 National Health Programme, iPartner of Danish Technological Institute in AI-Paro Seal. Training supervisor in PTWP, certified practitioner of Lumina Learning, MTQ48 certified facilitator. Graduate of Akademia Trenerów Biznesu LAB, Noble Manhattan Coaching Poland, Wyższa Szkoła Bankowa and Wyższa Szkoła Humanistyczna in Gdańsk and Wyższa Szkoła Administracji i Biznesu in Gdynia. Since 2011 she has been running development-mentor projects for women in cooperation with Domy Przedsiębiorcy. She trains companies both domestically and internationally.

prof. Philip Larkin

Switzerland

Since August 2018, Philip Larkin has held the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Chair of Palliative Care Nursing within the Palliative and Supportive Care Service of the University Hospital Centre (CHUV). He also directs the Master of Science in Advanced Nursing Practice at the Institute for Higher Education and Research in healthcare (IUFRS), University of Lausanne.

An Irish national, Philip Larkin has over 35 years of experience in the palliative care sector, both clinically and academically. He has become an important figure in the field in Ireland and elsewhere. As Professor of Palliative Care at University College Dublin, he has led the development of the All Ireland Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care, a public health project bringing together The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to improve palliative care outcomes for all citizens. He was President of the European Palliative Care Association (EAPC) from 2015 to 2019. His research has focused on access to palliative care for vulnerable populations, with a particular focus on patients with mental health issues, disability, children, and palliative care needs in rural isolation, groups often marginalized in accessing palliative care. The place of compassion in palliative care is also part of his academic scholarship.

He currently leads a palliative care nursing research team at the CHUV and continues to lecture nationally and internationally on nursing care, palliative care and compassion in care.

prof. Ph.D. n. med. Tadeusz Parnowski

Poland

Psychiatrist, psychogeriatrics with circa 40-year experience in working with patients. Head of 2nd Psychiatry Clinic in Warsaw’s Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology (2006-2016). Organisator and manager of the first psychogeriatric ward and Memory Disorder Clinic in Poland. Founder and chairman of the board of Polish Alzheimer’s Foundation and member of the board and programme committee of Polish Association of Care for people living with Alzheimer’s. Chairman of Polish Psychogeriatric Association, member of International Psychogeriatric Association, honorary member of Polish Psychogeriatric Association.

dr hab. Marta Podhorecka, prof. UMK

Poland

physiotherapist, health promotion and health education specialist. Professor in the Geriatrics Department in CM UMK in Toruń. She specializes in geriatry, senorial education and physioprophylactics. Author of scientific reports on activisation and physical therapy of the elderly. Apart from her educational activities in geriatry, physical therapy and gerontoprophylactics she is invested in elderly health education and initiatives on agism prevention among teenagers. Author of physical therapy prophylactics programmes and courses on geriatric physical therapy. Chair of Senioral Politics Council at KPRM, member of International Association of Gerontology, VP of kuyavian-pomeranian Polskie Towarzystwo Gerontologiczne and a member of the board of Głównego Stowarzyszenia Fizjoterapia Polska. She mantains Geriatryczna.pl site of Facebook. Co-owner of Grydsen company, implementing innovative solutions in medical rehabilitation. In 2019 she was the first to receive “Friend to Seniors” title awarded by Jolanta Kwaśniewska Foundation “Porozumienie bez granic”.

Adam Sebena

Slovakia

Adam Sebena graduated from the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, where he obtained a Doctorate in Health Sciences and now works as a lecturer. He has published in the Slovak sports journal Runngo. He completed two postgraduate studies in musculoskeletal ultrasound and the application of hyaluronic acid and botulinum toxin. Since 2019, he has served as the director of two healthcare centers providing 24-hour care to approximately 100 clients. Sebena is currently working on opening a new clinic specializing in PET-CT diagnostics.

Ewa Świątek

Poland

Chad Worz

USA

is the chief executive of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) and a board certified geriatric pharmacist (BCGP). The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is an international professional society devoted to optimal medication management and improved health outcomes for all older persons. ASCP senior care consultant pharmacist members manage and improve quality of life of geriatric patients and other individuals residing in a variety of environments, including nursing facilities, sub-acute care and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and home and community-based care.
A board-certified geriatric pharmacist and graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy, Worz’s career has focused on the medication management of older adults. Worz developed an innovative clinical practice in a long-term care setting in the state of Ohio and directed the pharmacy practice of a regional, independent pharmacy. Worz went on to establish a nation-wide, geriatric-based pharmacist consulting company to educate and provide medication management services to nursing facility residents, nursing facility administration, long-term care pharmacies, and the public. During the pandemic he helped amplify the role of the pharmacist in testing, treatment, and vaccination, bridging front line pharmacists and government agencies. He presents nationally on medication management.