In 2020, Professor Shereen Hussein secured funding through the University of Kent, GCRF Emergency Response Fund, to utilise social media platforms to raise awareness of healthy ageing in the Middle East and North Africa during COVID19 pandemic.
As part of this work, an Arabic Facebook page, “Our Elder’s Health”’ was developed to reach as many people as possible, especially informal carers. The page is implemented and maintained by Arrow Systems for Electronic Systems and Engineering, represented by Eng. Rania El Morsy in Egypt. One of the themes of interest was the use of technological devices to promote healthy ageing, especially during lockdown and curfews associated with COVID19.
During May and June 2020 alone, eight articles were posted on the page; some of the technologies reviewed includes pulse oximeter; blood pressure monitors; video conferencing; wireless bell as a calling device and online surveillance camera system.
All posts were written in a local and straightforward Arabic language with natural expressions. The introductory post was written in Arabic and English.
The Facebook page also hosted videos from the ‘Movement is Blessing’, physical training exercises for older people.
Founder and Director
Shereen Husseinis a Health and Social Care Policy professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), United Kingdom.
Shereen Founded the MENARAH Network in 2019, through an initial grant from the Global Challenge Research Fund, UKRI. She is a medical demographer with expertise in ageing, family dynamics, migration and long-term care systems. Shereen regularly collaborates with the United Nations, the World Health Organisation and the World Bank in policy and research focused on ageing in the Middle East and North Africa Region.
Shereen received her undergraduate degree in statistics and a postgraduate degree in computer science at Cairo University. She completed an MSc in medical demography at the London School of Hygiene and a PhD in quantitative demography and population studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom.
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