Welcome to the Web page of the CIBER on Frailty and Healthy Ageing-CIBERFES.
One of the most salient features differentiating modern societies might possibly be the ageing of their populations due to the countless consequences of all kinds (social, economic, political) entailed by this; and the impact of incapacity on this elderly population’s quality of life might well be one of its main challenges. A group of experts in the area saw the issue in these terms and is willing to put all its capacity to work in tackling this challenge, grouped under the institutional umbrella of CIBERFES. It thus seeks to contribute not only to improving senior citizens’ quality of life but also, through this work, to the greater sustainability of the social protection and healthcare systems proper to the Welfare State, which distinguish ours as the developed society that this is.
The main aim of our work at the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES) involves research intended to find answers and solutions enabling an improvement in the quality of life of the elderly, of old people. We understand that ageing is a process starting long before old age and one that, as the WHO considers this, means a gradual loss of intrinsic capacity which is influenced by lifestyles, environmental agents and chronic diseases. This is why our main endeavour is focussed on avoiding incapacity rather than extending longevity, and doing so by studying the earlier stages of incapacity, from a study of frailty.
The CIBERFES is a cooperative network structure, with 20 research groups located in 18 research centres in eight of Spain’s “Autonomous Communities”. These groups are structured in two scientific programmes, in keeping with their common lines of work, which enables us to combine efforts, optimise resources and take the greatest advantage of the knowledge generated.
We would like this web page not only to be the point of encounter of our researchers, but also a medium for dissemination of the work done by us to the scientific community and to society in general. To this end we not only provide information on who we are at CIBERFES, what we are working on, the scientific programmes by means of which we organise our work and the result of our action; along with this information from inside out and from outside in we would like to be a permanent channel for the information that we are given by Society from outside the CIBER. This will enable us to learn Society’s concerns and needs as a way to redirect our activity based on citizens’ opinions - especially those of the most elderly, the aged, usually ignored.
We hope that this web site will be of interest to you and repeat our welcome to CIBERFES.
With best regards,
Prof. Leocadio Rodríguez Mañas
Scientific Director of the CIBERFES
