The 'New' Ageing Populations: Mapping identities, health, needs and responses across the lifecourse.
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: Gerontology
Abstract
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Organisations
Publications
| Description | The aim of the seminar series was to map the nature of rapid recent growth and ageing of populations not normally associated with old age and explore the implications that arise from this. We aimed to explore these implications through concepts and theories from the humanities and social sciences, the responses of individuals, families, professionals and wider society, and by drawing on empirical health and social care research and professional and user perspectives. At each seminar we aimed to bring together leading researchers with stakeholders, user groups, practitioners and policy makers. Overall, the seminar series demonstrated how difference disciplines and approaches were all becoming aware of the transformation of ageing and its more diffuse nature. Third sector organisations and health and social care professionals were also becoming more aware of the issues that challenge many underlying assumptions, whether they were in the field of disability, chronic illness or indeed in sexual health. The high level of attendance at some of our seminars, with one attracting 130 delegates, clearly demonstrated growing awareness and interest in these issues. Our seminar series was very well publicised through a wide range of platforms: JISCmail lists; BioCentre; British Society of Gerontology's internet-based Generations Review newsletters; Ageing Well Network newsletters; Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI); The Association for Education and Ageing; King's Health and Society Centre newsletters; Ageing Research at King's; and UCL Crucible and Provost's Newsletter. We held five seminars over two years: 1: Why study New ageing populations? (48 delegates) January 25th 2010, King's College London, held before the Institute of Gerontology's Annual Lecture. Speakers: Rosie Barnes, Chief Executive, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, and Christina Victor, Professor of Gerontology and Public Health, Brunel University. 2: New ageing populations: Calamity or Eucatastrophe? (35 delegates, 8 poster presentations) July 8th 2010, held at British Society of Gerontology Annual Conference, Brunel. Speakers: Carol Walker, Professor of Social Policy, University of Lincoln, and Baroness Campbell of Surbiton DBE, Dare to Live: Disability and Ageing in the 21st Century. Unfortunately Lady Campbell was unable to attend but we were fortunate to have Ann Macfarlane OBE stand in at short notice. Ann Macfarlane's roles include Consultant for the National Centre for Independent Living, and 'Expert by Experience' for the Care Quality Commission. 3: Living longer - who wants to live forever? (88 delegates) October 14th 2010, UCL. Speakers: Chris Gilliard, Honorary Research Fellow, Division of Research Strategy at University College London Medical School Renaissance treatises on ageing well, Guy Brown, Reader at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge The future of death & ageing, Sharon Kaufman, Professor of Medical Anthropology, University of California, San Francisco Making Longevity in an Aging Society: Linking Technology, Policy, Ethics. 4: Living longer: Should we try to live forever? (130 delegates, 6 poster presentations) 26th January 2011, King's College London. Speakers: Aubrey de Grey, Chief Science Officer of the SENS Foundation, Longevity as a side-benefit of truly good health: what's the problem? Bryan Turner, 5: Living by the rules? Growing older after the sexual revolution. (29 delegates) 23rd June 2011, UCL. Speakers: Maurice Greenham, Trustee of Staffordshire Buddies, the LGBT Network North Staffordshire, and the National Long Term Survivors Group (HIV). An Unexpected Future - Ageing with HIV; Jane Anderson, Honorary Professor and Director of the Sexual Health & HIV Centre at Homerton Hospital, MSc Med Anthropology and HIV physician, Positively Old: issues for an ageing population of people living with HIV; Kate Fisher, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Exeter, Sex Before the Sexual Revolution: Explaining Past Choices to a Younger Audience. |
| Exploitation Route | The seminar series aimed to foster debate and interdisciplinarity around issues arising from the 'new' ageing populations. We anticipate that although there were no 'findings' as such, ideas debated within this series will be taken forward in policy, health and social care practice, and research. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| Description | In total, 330 delegates attended the seminar series, representing academics, students, third sector agencies, health and social care professionals, service users and interested members of the public. Seminars 1 and 2 were predominantly attended by gerontologists; seminars 3 and 4 by those interested in the history and social implications of NAPs, and seminar 5 by those interested in practical issues arising in health and social care. There are a number of early and anticipated impacts to date: Lowton and Higgs have been awarded an ESRC research grant Adult Survivors of Childhood Liver Transplant: Personal Narratives of an Emerging 'New' Ageing Population ES/J002445/1. This award has arisen directly from one of the themes considered by the seminar series. The 18 month award commenced on 2nd January 2012 and we are currently interviewing members of the first cohort globally to receive liver transplants in childhood. New Ageing Populations has now been listed as a theme for the Annual Conference held by British Society of Gerontology (2012). Lowton and Higgs have contributed two book chapters: Higgs (2012) Later life as an arena of change in Researching Later Life and Ageing: Expanding Qualitative Research Horizons Leontowitsch M (ed) Palgrave Macmillan Lowton (2012) Reconceptualising Later Life: Using Qualitative Methods to Refine Understanding of New Ageing Populations in Researching Later Life and Ageing: Expanding Qualitative Research Horizons Leontowitsch M (ed) Palgrave Macmillan Higgs' presentation at the Healthy Ageing Research Unit at Monash University led to suggestions for future ERA conferences to include new ageing populations as well as providing links between Australian and UK researchers. http://www.era.edu.au/myfiles/uploads/Feedback%20report%202009.pdf Through the series' collaboration with Biocentre (Matt James), one Institute of Gerontology masters student has became involved in co-organising Biocentre's conferences including The 21st Century Body (May 2012). |
| First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Adult survivors of childhood liver transplant : personal narratives of an emerging 'new' ageing population |
| Amount | £134,772 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/J002445/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2012 |
| End | 01/2014 |