Associate Professor of Social Work and Director of Global
Engagement at the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, University
College Dublin and Chairperson of UCD’s Ageing Network.
Sarah Donnelly is an Associate Professor of Social
Work and Director of Global Engagement at the School of Social Policy, Social Work and
Social Justice, University College Dublin and Chairperson of UCD’s Ageing Network. Before
this, Sarah worked as a medical social worker at Tallaght University Hospital for 15 years
in a variety of clinical areas including with the Age-Related Healthcare Team for many
years. She is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin where she completed her Bachelor of
Social Work Degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree on the topic of ‘Care Planning Meetings
with Older People’.
Sarah has sat on a number of national policy advisory boards. She has acted as co-convenor
of the European Network for Gerontological Social Work 2018-2023 and is an Academic Advisor
on adult safeguarding to the Irish Association of Social Workers. Sarah has co-edited the
‘Critical Gerontology for Social Workers’ Book (2022, Policy Press) and has worked with the
Irish Dementia Working Group to codevelop recommendations on human rights for people living
with dementia in nursing home care in Ireland. Sarah’s research interests include ageing,
dementia, human rights, capacity and decision-making, carer harm, adult safeguarding and
homecare robotics.
Prof.Ph.D. Daniela Şoitu
specialist in Social Sciences
professor in The Department of Sociology and Social Work
Faculty of Philosophy and Social-Political Sciences, Alexandru
Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, Romania
Professor Daniela Soitu have training-research experiences, as
coordinator and expert in many international and national research and development
projects; she is author of publications in areas of wellbeing, health and education,
gerontology, social services for vulnerable groups.
She has postdoctoral studies in Social and health care policies for vulnerable persons -
ethics of health care policies, social determinants of health. The research of
vulnerabilities and risks in accessing the social and health care services has been
published in peer reviewed journals.
The doctoral research underlined the social perceptions of institutionalised and not
institutionalised elderly on their needs and opportunities of fulfilments. Relations
with aims, resources, social services market and social policies had been suggested and
directly contributed to debates on social care in Romania.
As professor, besides preparing courses, teaching and evaluation of students, and
coordinating their final papers and dissertations, she is member in the final evaluation
commissions of doctoral thesis and perform research activities in domains like: social
work system, social care for the elderly, counselling in social work, mediation and
other alternative disputes resolutions, counselling for personal development, applied
social work, NGO`s and civil society cooperation.
She is manager (representing UAIC, as a partner) and manager for certificate
modification in the project: Modification of the educational module - EDE
certificate for providers of long-term care for seniors. (Coordinator:
ASSP, Czech Republic. Partners: UAIC – Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi (Romania);
Akademie für Sozialmanagement (Austria); Bundesverband der Alten- und Pflegeheime
Österreichs "Lebenswelt Heim" (Austria); Rath Wolfgang Consulting e.U.
(Austria); IBG - Institut für Bildung im Gesundheitsdienst GmbH (Austria); E.D.E. –
European Association for Directors and Providers of Long-Term Care Services for the
Elderly (Curently: European Ageing Network) (Luxemburg)). Erasmus +; Key
Action 2 - Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices; KA202 -
Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training. Project number
2018-1-CZ01-KA202-048076.
Professor Soitu is member in the UAIC team of the project: Study on elaboration
of conceptual and methodological framework for analysis and interpretation of
long-term care: conceptual definitions, ways of analysis and interpretation.
(Contract PSCD MMJS nr. 3677/28.09.2018)
She represented the university, in many European projects:
ERASMUS-ENW –EUHAP - 14PS0003 (2014-1-BE01-KA203-000910) European
Humanitarian Action Partnership: ERASMUS-ENW –EUHAP (http://euhap.eu/); EUPRHA - European Universities on
Professionalization on Humanitarian Action; proiect 518362-LLP-1-2011-1-ES-ERASMUS-ENW.
ProfesorDaniela Şoitudesigned and managed the
CompEd
project:Comparing collaboration in education
and practice in the health and welfare fields. Romania and Norway, SEE
Small size bilateral cooperation projects (EEA Financial Mechanism 2009-2014) (http://www.fssp.uaic.ro/comped/).
She is National coordinator of Research Network COST IS 1409: Gender and health
impacts of policies extending working life in western countries – and
Management Committee member of European Concerted Research Action (https://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/isch/IS1409)
At the faculty level, she coordinates mobility studies and teaching in Erasmus + and EAA
frameworks.
Latest publications:
Şoitu, D. (2018). The integrated social design of future long-term care.
Scientific Annals of UAIC. Sociology and Social Work Section, Tom XI (1), 5-15. Soitu, D., K.-J. Johansen (2017). The Space of Innovation and Practice on
Welfare, Health and Social Care Education and Practice in Romania and Norway. Scientific
Annals of UAIC. Sociology and Social Work Section. Tom X(1), 1-22;
Maturo, A., Hošková-Mayerová, Š., Soitu,
D.-T., Kacprzyk, J. (Eds). (2016). Recent Trends in Social
Systems: Quantitative Theories and Quantitative Models, Springer International
Publishing Switzerland, eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-40585-8; DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-40585-8;
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-40583-4
Mr. Adrian Solomon
Chairman of the Committee on Labour and Social Protection,
Chamber of Deputies
Professional experience
2013 - present: Executive President of PSD Vaslui County Organization
2007-2013: Vice-president of the PSD Vaslui County Organization
2007 - present: President of the PSD Bârlad Municipal Organization
2003 - 2007: President of TSD Bârlad Municipal Organization
2002 - present: Member of PSD Bârlad Municipal Organization Civic experience
- 2017 - present: Member of "Constantin Hamangiu" Association Bârlad
- 2010 - 2014: Member of the National Assembly of the Romanian Orthodox Church
- 2005 - 2010, 2010-2014: Diocesan deputy in the Diocesan Assembly of the Huşilor
Diocese
- 2005 - present: Member of the Bârlad Academy
Email:
Dr Aurelia Curaj
MD, PhD
Lecturer at the University of Bucharest
Gerontology and geriatrics at Geron Foundation
Multidisciplinarity and Longevity
Physiological, psychological, social and cultural approach shows a heterogeneous old
population.
Ageing involves an individual functional decline modeling stress adjustment and
“frailty” is addressed to older persons with high vulnerability. A research
concerning frailty as a physical, psychological, cognitive, functional, social and
environmental interaction result is essential for a better understanding Ageing.
Although frailty of older people can be associated with less capacity in normal systems,
clinic conditions and geriatric syndromes are very complex.
Comorbidity, disability and frailty may be apart or simultaneous entities to older
person and, a multidimensional evaluation or a comprehensive geriatric assessment
directing a decision making in geriatrics is crucial. There is a geriatric challenge
for this complexity including many medical and social interaction concerns.
Geriatric services are able to respond to this complexity by assessment approaching,
multidisciplinary team, and multidimensional interventions.
There is no always clear how specific interventions or care approaches “make the
difference” for a patient or a group. Clinic complexity and comorbidity make the
older person to be excluded from many clinic trials.
Although is seen as common, frailty at longeviv people should be carefully approached. A
multidisciplinary approach takes us out of the routine when decreased functional
capacities are even within normality.
To stimulate restant capacities should be the main care plan objectiv even for a
longevity person; the premise of personalised, specialised care with impact on the
longevity is created.
Frailty prevention with its impact is a challenge for an Ageing society and many
barrieres we expect to overcome.
Oana Carmen Dimitriu
holds a degree in legal studies and has been leading the Vaslui Directorate of
Social Assistance since 2016.
Under her leadership, the institution has developed and licensed 8 social services
addressing the needs of children, adults, the elderly, homeless individuals, as well as
operating a social canteen. With ongoing support from the Vaslui Local Council, she
manages an integrated and efficient social protection system focused on the real needs
of the community. A dedicated professional and strong advocate for equitable access to
quality social services.
Mrs. Elena Dobre
Director
Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity, Social Services Policy Directorate
Experience in the social field of over 20 years.
At the level of the central public administration, I was involved in legislative
initiatives
related to social services and the application of many social protection measures for
the
elderly, in the implementation and monitoring of national strategies in the field of
social
assistance.
I was an organizer and participant in numerous events with and for the elderly, at
national
and international level, in which I presented both policies on the social assistance
system
focusing on the field of social services, as well as on social participation of the
elderly
and active ageing.
Ionel Armeanu-Ștefănică
President
Federation of Long-Term Care Providers
Ionel Armeanu-Ștefănică is the President of the Federation of Long-Term Care
Providers, with nearly 20 years of experience in social assistance and a professional
career dedicated to improving social services in Romania. He holds a Master’s degree in
Public Administration and Management of Public Institutions, is a certified trainer in
social services management, and a recipient of a lifetime achievement award for his
contribution to the promotion of social work. He has coordinated national and European
projects aimed at developing services for children, adults, and the elderly, and has
played a key role in the professional training of caregivers. In April 2024, he
organized a socio-medical caravan in rural Vaslui, delivering direct support and
innovative solutions for elderly care. A visionary leader and active advocate for change
in the long-term care system.
Mr. Lucian Bala
General Manager, TZMO România, Bucharest
Rosemary Laird,
M.D., M.H.S.A, AGSF is Principal Investigator for ClinCloud
Clinical Trials in Viera, Florida. She is an affiliate faculty member of the Florida
State University School of Medicine and is the Chief Medical Officer for My Memory
Clinic which provides care for people with Alzheimer's disease.
Rosemary Laird, M.D., M.H.S.A, AGSF is Principal Investigator for ClinCloud Clinical
Trials in Viera, Florida. She is an affiliate faculty member of the Florida State
University School of Medicine and is the Chief Medical Officer for My Memory Clinic
which provides care for people with Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Laird received her medical degree with honors from Georgetown University School of
Medicine in 1991. She completed an Internal Medicine residency and Geriatric
Fellowship.
She is a recognized expert in diagnosing and caring for patients with Alzheimer's
disease and spent 20 years as the Medical Director for two Memory Disorder Clinics in
Florida. She is a sought-after speaker and educator and was named the American
Geriatrics Society's Geriatrician of the Year in 2013.
Dr. Laird is a passionate advocate for the support of family caregivers and co-authored
the book Take Your Oxygen First: Preserving Your Health and
Happiness While Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease
Sarah Lonbay
Professor of Social Sciences and Social Care
Sarah’s research interests are participation, empowerment, and
vulnerability within health and social care contexts. She is particularly focused on
research which explores adult abuse and safeguarding, trauma, mental health, disability,
and ageing. Sarah is also the co-host of ‘The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and
Practice for Social Work’.
Title:Experiences of (Un)Safety in Later Life: Insights from
Research with Older People
Abstract:
Ensuring safety in later life is a fundamental aspect of integrated long-term care
systems. This talk draws on qualitative research exploring older people's experiences of
(un)safety, ageing well, adult safeguarding, and domestic abuse. It presents key
findings from studies that have used participatory and creative methods, as well as
other qualitative approaches, to understand how older people perceive safety, articulate
experiences of harm, and navigate support systems.
A central theme is the language older people use to describe safety and abuse—often
shaped by generational and societal factors—and how this affects recognition and
response. Findings also highlight the complexities of feeling safe in different
environments and the barriers older people face in seeking help. Additionally, insights
from a project on ageing well demonstrate how fostering agency, connection, and
appropriate support enhances older people's sense of security.
This talk will consider implications for policy, practice, and integrated care,
emphasising the importance of listening to older people's voices in shaping safeguarding
responses. By engaging with these perspectives, we can move towards more inclusive and
effective systems of care.
Clary Krekula
Linnaeus University, Sweden
professor of sociology and is currently a professor of social
work at Linnaeus University, Sweden. Her research centres primarily on ageing from
intersectional and organisational perspectives. It also includes critical age
studies/age sociology, care work relationship studies, elderly care and temporality
Title: Digital Fraud Against Older Persons. What Challenges Do They Present for
Social Work Research and Practices? Abstarct:
The rapid development of digital technologies has opened up new opportunities for fraud
via mobile phones and the internet. Digital fraud against older people is now widespread
and rapidly growing in many countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many older adults
started using the internet due to enforced distancing, and many inexperienced older
internet users thereby became a vulnerable group for fraud. In Sweden, the number of
reported fraud cases increased by 400% from 2019 to 2022. In the United States, fraud
against older people tripled during the same period and the consequences of fraud have
become so extensive that it is recognized as a serious public health issue. Fraud
against older persons creates new forms of vulnerability in later life and challenges
the conditions for aging well for those affected. It also risks impacting the sense of
security and digital inclusion among older adults, regardless of whether they themselves
have been victimized. In this presentation, I focus on social work practices and
research and I raise questions about the challenges that digital fraud targeting older
adults presents in this context.
Anil Joseph
Co-Founder / Director / CEO, Mediqx Health Care Private Limited
Founder
We Care Health Solutions
Florin Lazăr
Prof.univ.dr. Universitatea din București, Facultatea de
Sociologie și Asistență Socială
Vice-președinte al Colegiului Național al Asistenților Sociali din România (CNASR)
Managing professional stress and burnout – between individual, organisational and
structural strategies
Increasing workloads and challenges social workers face lead to higher levels of stress
and professional burnout, which impact the quality of the services provided, job
satisfaction, and turnover rates. The workshop will use recent research evidence to
understand Romanian social workers‘ coping strategies and suggest possible effective
interventions, such as mindfulness and neurofeedback. Also, it will explore other
potential interventions at individual, organisational and structural level using a
discrete choice experiment design.
Gestionarea stresului și a epuizării profesionale – strategii individuale,
organizaționale și structurale
Creșterea volumului de muncă și provocările cu care se confruntă asistenții sociali duc
la niveluri mai ridicate de stres și epuizare profesională, care influențează calitatea
serviciilor oferite, satisfacția în muncă și ratele de angajare. Atelierul va folosi
dovezile recente de cercetare pentru a înțelege strategiile de coping ale asistenților
sociali români și pentru a sugera posibile intervenții eficiente, cum ar fi mindfulness
și neurofeedback. De asemenea, va explora alte intervenții potențiale la nivel
individual, organizațional și structural folosind un design de experiment cu alegere
discretă.
Vladimir Poroch
profesor universitar
Facultatea de Medicină a Universităţii de Medicină şi Farmacie „Grigore T. Popa” Iaşi
Vladimir Poroch este medic primar chirurg cu supraspecializare în
îngrijiri paliative, şeful Secţiei Îngrijiri Paliative din cadrul Institutului Regional
de Oncologie Iaşi, contribuind în mod esenţial la formarea şi perfecţionarea continuă a
colectivului secţiei încă de la înfiinţarea acesteia.
Este profesor universitar abilitat la Facultatea de
Medicină a Universităţii de Medicină şi Farmacie „Grigore T. Popa” Iaşi şi titular al
cursului „îngrijiri paliative” pentru studenţii anului III ai Facultăţii de Medicină şi al
cursurilor postuniversitare ale UMF Iaşi „Abordarea şi suţinerea bolnavilor oncologici şi
non-oncologici de la aflarea diagnosticului la starea terminală”, “Abordarea paliativă
pentru asistenţii medicali” şi “Îngrijirea paliativă în echipă interdisciplinară”.
Activitatea ştiinţifică a dlui Prof. Dr. Vladimir Poroch se concretizează în numeroase
publicaţii, proiecte de cercetare, cât şi în participări la conferinţe în calitate de
organizator sau invitat, una dintre direcţiile principale de studiu fiind calitatea vieţii
pacienţilor şi a personalului medical în context oncologic.
În calitate de preşedinte al Asociaţiei Naţionale de Îngrijiri Paliative (ANIP) este
implicat în numeroase proiecte educaţionale şi de advocacy în domeniul îngrijirii paliative.
De asemenea, Vladimir Poroch conduce din poziţia de preşedinte Asociaţa pentru Managementul
Calităţii în Sănătate (AMCS) şi promovează împreună cu alţi profesionişti din sănătate
conceptul de cultură a calităţii în acest domeniu.
Tania_Anghel
Coordonator Îngrijiri – Enayati Home
Tania Anghel, Coordonator Îngrijiri în Enayati Home, crede în
abordarea umană a îngrijirilor, considerând-o pilonul principal al bunăstării și
longevității seniorilor. Specializată în managementul centrelor sociale, are o
experiență de peste 15 ani în domeniu, dobândită în străinătate, în centre rezidențiale
acreditate ISO 9001 (Managementul Calității).
Csongor Mezo
Manager Rezidență – Mureș Senior Village
Csongor Mezo este asistent medical de profesie și s-a alăturat
echipei Valea Izvoarelor Senior Living în 2021. Cu peste 11 ani de experiență în
îngrijirea seniorilor, dintre care 8 ani petrecuți în Marea Britanie, aduce o viziune
modernă asupra îngrijirii persoanelor vârstnice.
În prezent, Csongor gestionează buna funcționare a rezidenței Mureș Senior Village,
având ca obiectiv principal demonstrarea faptului că viața poate fi frumoasă la orice
vârstă. Pasiunea sa pentru muncă este alimentată de dragostea pentru oameni și dorința
de a-i ajuta.
Ana Maria Roșu
Psiholog clinician, terapeut cognitiv-comportamental,
coordonator de specialitate
Asociația Filantropia Largiana
Ana Maria Roșu este psiholog clinician și terapeut
cognitiv-comportamental, având o vastă experiență în domeniul sănătății mentale. În
calitate de coordonator de specialitate la Asociația Filantropia Largiana, se implică
activ în îmbunătățirea calității vieții seniorilor prin abordări terapeutice
personalizate și susținerea echipelor de îngrijire.
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Prof.Ph.D. Contiu Tiberiu Şoitu
Professor in department of Sociology and Social Work
Ph.D. in Psychology
Vice-Rector for human resources, quality management and cultural
activities,
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania
Professor PhD at the Department of Sociology and Social Assistance of the Faculty of
Philosophy and Social-Political Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi. Dean of
the Faculty of Philosophy and Social-Political Sciences.
Teaching and research activities in the fields of: human development, mental health,
disabilities, minority groups, social services, social history, international
development.
Published volumes: 6
Articles and studies published in academic journals and specialized volumes: over 50
Participation in scientific research at national level: 29 (9 coordinates)
Participation in international scientific research: 10 (3 international consortium
coordination, 3 national group coordination)
Participation in international professional and institutional development projects: 23 (8
coordinates)
