Introduction

Our ageing demographic has changed the landscape of perioperative medicine. Today, patients presenting for both elective and emergency surgery are older, more medically complex and often with cognitive and functional vulnerabilities. Traditional, single specialty approaches to surgery and anaesthesia are no longer capable of meeting the needs of this population. Running for the last 36 years Age Anaesthesia Association remains the only society dedicated to improving multidisciplinary care of older adults undergoing surgery in the UK. The annual scientific conference has consistently showcased the research, education and service developments necessary to achieve this objective. This year’s joint Annual Scientific Meeting, the first outside the UK, uniting the Age Anaesthesia Association and the Irish Gerontological Society, was held in the vibrant city of Cork. Over two days at the historic Metropole Hotel over 200 delegates engaged in discussions regarding trauma services, fragility fracture management, surgical optimisation, and the prevention of postoperative complications. We are indebted to the enthusiasm of IGS president Dr Emer Ahern and the local organising committee led by Dr Clara McGurk for the success of the meeting and the speakers and attendees for enriching the perioperative community in the UK and Ireland. The presentations and research posters highlighted during these proceedings, of exceptionally high quality and of breadth of topic, underscore a collective commitment to making surgery as safe and effective as possible for older patients. From the winners of the Margaret Dodson prize describing interventions benefitting thousands of older patients across Singapore and New Zealand, to strategic revolutions in English and Welsh perioperative care, to smaller local projects delivering quality improvements to higher risk patients, all united by the singular vision of improved care. We hope the insights and innovations shared at this Cork meeting continue to inspire and that the spirit of collaboration, so much in evidence during the meeting, continues to flourish.