Dr J Goodwin

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The Future of Ageing Research Problems and
Solutions

• Dr J Goodwin
• Head of Research
• Help the Aged, London, UK

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Longevity

• Ive turned 60 and I can barely believe nearly
  a third of my life is over
• Woody Allen

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Overview

• Expenditure
• Strategy
• Research Priorities

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ExpenditureOld Age Whose Priority?
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UK Gross Domestic Spending on RD
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UK Government Research Policy

• Government will take the lead in providing new
  capital and enhanced research funding to restore,
  maintain and grow the infrastructure for
  research.

Priorities Genomics (110M) eScience (98M)
Basic Technology (44M) Spending Review
2002extra 500M for Universities increased
funding for OST
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Research on Older PeopleSummary of Research
Expenditure (UK)
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UK Summary(2001)

• UK Gross Expenditure on RD ca 20,000m
• Government Expenditure on RD ca 2,000m
• Research Expenditure on Ageing ca 200m

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Gross Domestic Research Expenditure The Major
Economies (2001)
Source europa.eu.int
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EU Research Programmes

• Fourth Framework (FP4) 13.2 billion
• Fifth Framework (FP5) 14.6 billion
• Sixth Framework (FP6) 17.5 billion

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Research on Ageing Expenditure (Europe)

• Fourth Framework Programme 1994-1998 (13.25 bn)
• Biomedicine and health 157 m
• Fifth Framework Programme 1998-2002 (14.96 bn)
• KA1(QoL) and KA6 (AgeingDisability) 190 m
  
• Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 (17.5 bn)
• Combating major diseases 1,155 m

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EU Summary(2001)

• EU Gross Expenditure on RD ca 164,000 m
• Government Expenditure on RD ca 62,000 m
• Research Expenditure on Ageing ca 200 m

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USA Summary(2001)

• Gross Expenditure on RD ca 244,000 m
• Government Expenditure on RD ca 76,000 m
• Research Expenditure on Ageing ca 632 m

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StrategyResearch strength Strategy weakness?
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Research Priorities

• Valencia
• Priority Direction 1 Older People and
  Development
• (population ageing socio-economics/material
  security/family)
• Priority Direction 2 Advancing Health and Well
  Being
• (healthy ageing/biology of ageing
  disease/quality of life)
• Priority Direction 3 Enabling Supportive
  Environments
• (family / quality of life)

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Research Priorities

• NiA (USA)
• NiA combines high order strategic planning with
  enviable levels of intamural and extramural
  funding
• Goal A Improve the health quality of life of
  older people
• (age related diseases/health and function/social
  isolation)
• Goal B Understand the healthy Ageing Process
• (ageing, health, longevity/brain function)
• Goal C Reduce health disparities among older
  people
• (minorities/race/gender/environment/socio-economi
  c factors/culture)
• Goal D Enhance resources to support high quality
  research
• (workforce development/dissemination/resources)

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Research on Ageing (Europe)

• Fourth Framework Programme 1994-1998
• Biomedicine and health
• (No specific focus on ageing)
• Fifth Framework Programme 1998-2002
• KA1(QoL) and KA6 (AgeingDisability)
• Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006
• Combating major diseases
• (No specific focus on ageing)

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Summary of Ageing Key Actions (FP5)

• 6.1 Age-related diseases and disorders
• 6.2 Basic processes of physiological ageing
• 6.3 Demographic social policy aspects of
  population ageing
• 6.4 Coping with functional limitations in old age
• 6.5 Health and social care provision for older
  people

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EU Framework StrategiesSummary

• The Framework Programmes are Mission Orientated
• Main objectives of the FP5 ageing key action to
  meet the challenges of ageing by mobilising
  research AND to raise the profile and status of
  ageing research
• Main objective of FP6 is the creation of a
  European Research Area using 7 thematic
  priorities with no specific ageing focus

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Summary

• Direct expenditure on research on ageing is a
  small fraction of research expenditure in Europe
  and even smaller in relation to the total spend
  on RD in USA
• The low direct expenditure is offset to some
  extent by spending on age-related research eg
  diseases of old age
• Biomedical expenditure far outweighs the sums
  spent on other areas of research on ageing
• Research on ageing in all sectors appears to be
  fragmented with a need for continued strategic
  direction

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The Way Forward?
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Strategic Priorities

• Ageing research a national priority
• Improved strategic direction
• Greater funding for ageing research
• New researchers and increased capacity
• Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research
• Better dissemination and implementation
• Improved user-involvement

Source European Forum for Population Ageing 2003
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Involvement of Older PeopleDr Sam Taylor
Older Peoples Project Support (OPPS) The
development of a model of older peoples
involvement in research based upon theoretical
principles of involvement and empowerment
To enable Older Peoples Forums and Groups to
participate in their own projects that focus on
important issues which affect their daily lives
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User Priorities

• Users see research as highly relevant to their
  activities
• User-involvement, not merely consultation, is a
  real issue
• Closer collaboration between researchers and
  older people will the Universities listen?
• Need for a grass-roots user consultation forum
• Funding for greater user group involvement
• Promote an international database on research and
  older people
• Priorities for research include the well-being
  of cared and carers intergenerational
  relationships labour market policies and care
  practices comparative studies, eg national and
  local policies towards carers health and
  nutrition

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Selected Research Priorities

• Continuing importance of fundamental research
  into biology of ageing and age-related diseases
• Multifactorial nature of healthy ageing
  (Inclusion/Contribution/Independence/Access)
• Importance of social economics, pension welfare
  provision and care systems
• Technology and older people
• User-involvement

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UK Met Office
Health Forecasting and older people
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Conclusions

• Expenditure
• Expenditure on research on ageing in the UK (and
  Europe) is small compared to RD expenditure
  generally and compares badly with funding for
  research in the USA
• Strategy
• Research on ageing requires prioritisation by
  Government, improved strategic direction and a
  step-change in funding
• Research Priorities
• Some emerging research priorities appear to be
  modifiable risk factors to health economic
  development technology and older people
  user-involvement