The world is facing a growing number of complex social challenges right now – we are ageing whilst living geographically further and further apart from our loved ones, socio-economic disparities are leaving the most vulnerable ever more exposed and at risk, loneliness is an increasing phenomenon amongst young and old even though we are more digitally connected than we have ever been, our health and care no longer lies only in the hands of care professionals but with lifestyle diseases booming the world over, it’s in our own hands too…

In addition, life expectancy has been increasing for decades and our younger generations are predicted to live more than 100 years. Longevity is becoming an unstoppable reality that will radically transform the way we work, the way we build our relationships, the way we learn and the way we enjoy our free time. And yet we continue to structure our lives the way our parents or grandparents did. 

In light of this context, Design and Innovation face some important questions…

• What’s their role at the time to restructure our personal, organisational and social structures in front of a 100-year life?
• How can we ensure that Care lies on the heart of this Social Revolution? How can we Design more sustainable, accessible and healthier life transitions for people who will live for more than 100 years?
• How can we transform Care into a compassionate human experience that is accessible for all cutting across institutions and organisations and impacting people’s lives on a daily basis?
• What’s the future of Health and Care?

During the moth of design for health in Roca Gallery, Alfons Cornella (Institute of Next) and Lekshmy Parameswaran (The Care Lab) debated about the urgent responsibility to apply our skills and capabilities to contribute to address these social issues. They will also reflect on what’s the role of Design and Innovation in facing the current and future challenges in the world of Care.