Opportunities, Challenges and Tensions: Linking the Ageing and Disability Rights Agendas
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Division of Health Research
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
Publications
Milligan, C.
(2016)
Dementia and the social model of disability: does responsibility to adjust lie with society rather than people with dementia?
in Signpost Journal of Dementia and Mental Health Care of Older People
Thomas C
(2017)
Dementia, disability rights and disablism: understanding the social position of people living with dementia
in Disability & Society
Thomas, C.
(2015)
Dementia and the Social Model of Disability
| Description | The seminar series and discussion arising from it highlighted the parallels and differences between ageing and disability research. In some areas it highlighted the clear benefits from more joined-up thinking and collaborative working across the two fields (for example around ageism/disablism), but it also highlighted some of the challenges - for example, where older people do not wish to be viewed as disabled and disabled people, having fought long and hard for recognition do not wish to lose their identity as disabled people as they move into older age. As a direct result of running the seminar series, the PI and Co-I were commissioned to write a 'viewpoint paper' for the Joseph Rowntree Trust on 'Dementia and the Social Model of Disability'. This is currently in press. We also approached the Journal of Ageing and Society regarding a special issue on our topic. Whilst the journal editors did not feel the topic appropriate for a special issue in their journal, the PI and Co-I have been invited by the editor to write a 'Forum' article based around the outcomes of the seminar series for the journal. |
| Exploitation Route | We know from the written evaluation feedback, and the verbal feedback from individual participants, that individual seminars, and the series as a whole, facilitated new and imaginative thinking on our topic. We are very confident that this will be translated into impactful action, in a variety of ways. For example, (i) third sector practitioners will practice 'joined-up thinking' on old age and disability - rather than pursuing the traditional 'silos' approach to support and service provision; (ii) academics (postgraduates, researchers and lecturers) will question and revise their traditional/normative ideas and outputs about 'being old' and 'being disabled'; (iii) lay participants will take new ideas out to the communities and networks in which they operate - so disseminating and demonstrating the new ways of thinking about old age and disability explored in the Seminar Series. This has been facilitated by making available video-recordings from all keynote speakers on the website with their powerpoint presentations (where used). In this way we have provided a valuable resource for researchers, teachers and interested individuals from outside academia to draw upon. One pleasing quality of the academic participants in the Series is the wide range of social science disciplines represented, and the inter-disciplinary discussions that took place (Geography, Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, History, Gender Studies, Management Science, Social Gerontology, Social Policy, Linguistics). The percolation of the Seminar Series' ideas into these many disciplines can magnify the impact of this initiative in terms of academic outputs and research projects - hopefully impacting upon public policies, service practices - ultimately enhancing the quality of life for older and disabled people |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy |
| Description | The RTI created an interdisciplinary and virtual space (through the use of Adobe Connect and the web) for dialogue and knowledge exchange; It provided opportunities for knowledge exchange between researchers and research users (including the public, private and third sectors); It encouraged researchers from different background and locations to participate and facilitate inter/national learning; By uploading the seminar presentations onto our website we were able to create an online resource base for researchers, teachers and individuals outside academia. The seminar discussions revealed the parallels and differences between ageing and disability research. In some areas it highlighted clear benefits from more joined-up thinking and collaborative working across the two fields (for example around ageism/disablism), but it also highlighted some of the challenges, e.g. where older people do not wish to be viewed as disabled and disabled people, having fought long and hard for recognition, do not wish to lose their disabled identity as they move into older age. A longer-term research network supported by email and web-space has been established and three follow-on seminars organised. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
| Sector | Education,Healthcare,Other |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |