On October 18, 2013 the official opening of PRACTA project took place. The patronage under the kick-off meeting of PRACTA - ACTIVATING THE ELDERLY by MEDICAL PRACTICE project was hold by the Vice Rector for Science and International Relations of the Medical University of Warsaw, prof. Slawomir Majewski. The meeting was opened by prof. Slawomir Majewski.

Next, prof. Geir Arild Espnes from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology presented Norwegian reflections on the need for promotion of active aging in the current demographic situation. Prof. Geir Arild Espnes is the leader of the Norwegian PRACTA team and also director of the Research Centre for Health Promotion and Resources in Trondheim, Norway.

At the meeting, the PRACTA team from the Department of Medical Psychology of MUW presented aims and objectives of the project, the results of previous work (encompassing closed pilot testing phase) and plans for further stages of PRACTA research. The inauguration was graced with the presence of guests representing, among others, Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway, the Office of the Patient Ombudsman, the College of Family Physicians in Poland, Polish Society of Cardiology, clinical units of MUW and public health care facilities (PHC). It is just thanks to cooperation with PHC institutions PRACTA project will be implemented, where more than 10,000 elderly patients and 500 their GPs are scheduled to take part. The primary aim of the research is to answer the four questions:

• What are the needs of seniors in the area of creating their activity by GPs?

• How these needs are perceived by doctors?

• What kinds of doctors activity promote seniors proactive approach towards treatment and health?

• How to enhance the competence of doctors in this area and their satisfaction with the job with elderly patients?

The results of PRACTA research will allow to determine, for example, whether the Polish seniors feel the need of being activated by their GPs e.g. by advice on how to spend free time, or seniors’ needs for activation should be created earlier. Since an active lifestyle promotes health regardless of age.