The New Dynamics of Ageing

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The New Dynamics of Ageing A cross Research
Council Interdisciplinary Research Programme
An overview by Peter Townsend, Research
Manager
2
Key Features of programme

• Building upon previous and existing initiatives
  of the ESRC,
• EPSRC,BBSRC, MRC and AHRC
• A major new interdisciplinary research programme
  on
• ageing.
• Strong user focus via collaboration among
  professionals and
• multiple organisations working closely with
  older people.
• Harness interdisciplinary input to reveal the
  dynamic
• interplay between ageing individuals and their
  changing
• technological, cultural, social and physical
  environment.

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Central Objectives

• Exploring ways in which individual ageing is
  subject to
• different influences over the life course.
• To encourage and support development of
  innovative
• interdisciplinary research groups and methods.
• To provide a sound evidence base for policy and
• practice to improve well-being and quality of
  life.

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Programme Deliverables (1)

• Generation of new knowledge on the ageing
  process
• (particularly factors contributing to ageing
  well)
• Deploy and develop new interdisciplinary
  perspectives.
• Create a new generation of interdisciplinary
  researchers

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Programme Deliverables (2)

• Contribute towards policy practice and product
  development
• Create new links between UK science and that in
  the EU and
• North America
• To identify opportunities for further research
  after the
• programme.

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Research Areas and Topics (1)

• Two main themes with eight sub-themes
• 1) Ageing well across the life course.
• Active Ageing
• Autonomy and independence
• Later life transitions
• The oldest old

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Research Areas and Topics (2)

• 2) Ageing and its environments
• Resources for ageing
• Locality, place and participation
• The built and technological environment
• The global dynamics of ageing

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Timetable and calls for proposals (1)

• (Second stage following first stage awards)
• Preparatory networks - 250k (fEC)
• Up to 10 to be funded for 12 months commencing
  October
• 2006. Seed corn funding to prepare
  ground-breaking
• proposals for second round of Collaborative
  Research
• Projects in 2007.
• N.B. Closing date was 1 August 2006

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Timetable and calls for proposals (2)

• Preparatory networks to be encouraged in the
  following areas
• The determinants of active ageing
• Sustaining autonomy and independence
• Independence in the home and public space
• Work place design and the older working
• Resources in later life
• N.B. Networks must cover the research interests
  of at least two Research Councils and must end by
  31 October 2007.

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Timetable and calls for proposals (3)

• Programme Grants worth 3.5 m (fEC) for research
  from
• any area within the full programme specification
  including
• Active ageing
• Autonomy and independence
• Later life transitions
• The oldest old
• Resources for ageing
• Locality, place and participation
• The built and technological environment
• The global dynamics of ageing

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Timetable and calls for proposals (4)

• Closing date 4 pm 14 November 2006.
• Full details available at
• http//www.esrc.ac.uk/esrccontent/researchfunding/
  new_
• dynamics_of_ageing_programme.asp