The Meaning Research Late Life Lab at KU Leuven recently hosted an “Inspirational Day” as part of the HEAL4ALL project, bringing together a diverse audience committed to improving wellbeing in later life. Students, healthcare professionals, older adults, and informal carers gathered for a day of reflection, learning, and meaningful exchange.
The event opened with Jessie Dezutter, who introduced the HEAL4ALL project and explored key existential themes that shape the experience of ageing. These foundational ideas set the tone for a programme focused on the deeper dimensions of care.
Dirk De Wachter followed with a thought-provoking session on vulnerability, suffering, and the importance of what he calls “the small good” in everyday care. His talk sparked lively discussion, reflecting the strong engagement of participants.
Building on this, Gianina Frediani highlighted the role of existential empathy in therapeutic relationships, emphasizing its value as a core skill for care professionals. Later, Thalita Van Vooren demonstrated how storytelling and life-writing can empower older adults by helping them reconnect with their inner strengths.
The day concluded with reflections linking these insights back to the HEAL4ALL mission: fostering meaningful, compassionate approaches to care in later life.
Participants actively engaged throughout the event, contributing to rich Q&A sessions and continuing discussions over a shared lunch. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendees highlighting both the relevance and urgency of addressing existential dimensions in elderly care.
By creating space for dialogue across generations and disciplines, the HEAL4ALL Inspirational Day underscored the importance of empathy, meaning, and connection in supporting wellbeing in later life.
