6th Congress of the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) 2010

Dates: 29th of September – 1st of October 2010

No. of Delegates: 1,360

Venue: The Convention Centre, Dublin

Event Background

The Conference has been running for 10 years and is organised by the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS). EUGMS, is the collaborating and coordinating organisation of the national geriatric medical societies of the European Union member states, but also includes Switzerland. Their mission is to develop geriatric medicine in all member states as a recognised independent medical specialty, contributing to the care of all older people with age-related diseases. The first congress took place in Paris in 2001.

In 2010 Dublin hosted the event in The Convention Centre. This congress saw an increase in delegate numbers with over 1300 attending. The congress was attended by consultants, practitioners, psychiatrists, junior doctors, scientists & nurse consultants.

How did Ireland win this event?

Professor Desmond O’Neill- current secretary of EUGMS and associate professor at Trinity college Dublin - put forward a bid to bring the conference to Dublin with the assistance of Professional Conference Organiser’s Conference Partners in 2008. The bid document detailed the programme elements in addition to a detailed overview of Dublin and the surrounding areas.
The ease of travelling to Dublin from Europe and elsewhere was presented with a comprehensive list of the airlines servicing Dublin. The convenience of the local transport was also detailed.
The bid document presented to EUGMS showed the social programme options. Examples of day excursions including Dublin City Centre, Powerscourt Gardens and Waterfall and the Great Houses of Kildare were included.
Pre & Post conference tours to Boyne Valley, Glendalough, North Coast and Malahide Castle and A Literary Walk of Georgian Dublin to showcase the rich variety of choice for delegates when they come to Ireland were also included.

Event Programme

Day One: Wednesday the 29th of September

Registration opened from midday.
In the afternoon the congress opened with a ceremony and welcome address from the EUGMS president Desmond O’Neill followed by the then Minister for Heath Mary Harney.

Two notable Irish figures Mary Robinson & Seamus Heaney concluded the opening addresses. The evening entertainment consisted of a concert in The Convention Centre.

Day Two: Thursday the 20th of September

The conference programme for the first full day was made up of three sets of four parallel sessions and a poster session. In the evening delegates could attend the State dinner which was held in Dublin Castle State Apartments.
This was followed by an Irish night in the Old Jameson Distillery where delegates enjoyed a five course meal set in a relaxed atmosphere with traditional Irish music and a contemporary ‘Riverdance’.

Day Three: Friday the 21st of September

Similar to the conference programme for Thursday, Friday consisted of three sets of four parallel sessions and a poster session.
The Gala dinner took place in the Mansion House on the final evening. A three course meal was served to background music.

Overall the conference was attended by a number of significant researchers in the areas of geriatric challenges, techniques and technologies.

What were the highlights of this event?

A highlight of the conference was the opening day when former President of Ireland Mary Robinson spoke on ‘Ageing, Global Health and Human Rights’. Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney added something different to the event showcasing Ireland’s literary culture by speaking on ‘Ageing and the Poetic Spirit’.

The variety and choice within the social programme offered something for all of the delegates. The relaxed atmosphere created in the venues shaped the evenings for the delegates to catch up with old friends and carry on the debates and discussions from the day’s science programme.