Enhancing our understanding of later life

Long-term campaigners for older people will have been deeply saddened by the recent deaths of two great servants of the age sector: Mervyn Kohler and Phil Rossall. In their very different ways they contributed hugely to effective campaigning by Help the Aged, and then Age UK, which saw older people’s interests advance even in difficult times.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of probation commissioned Nichola Cadet, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Sheffield Hallam University to support probation staff to understand and support the needs of older people on probation. The report highlights the increasing numbers of older people under probation supervision, either serving community sentences or following release from custody. Recommendations which create synergies between criminological theory and gerontology are made to support practitioners to build on their existing skills

Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London have created an innovative framework, titled the Social Relationship Expectations (SRE) Framework, to explain the mechanisms behind loneliness in older adults and inform future research on interventions. The research, published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, identifies what older adults expect from their social relationships. These expectations get at the core of how loneliness is commonly defined: as the gap between expected and actual social relationships.

The global challenge Dementia is a devastating condition that can ruin lives and strip individuals of not just their memories, but their relationships, and identity too. Across the world, around 50 million people are currently living with the condition, 900,000 of whom are in the UK. It is estimated that 153 million people around the world will be affected by 2050. Although there is currently no cure for dementia, people with the condition can live well for years. Hospital admissions have been proven to increase the rate of decline, but the hope is that assistive technology can help people stay safe and independent in their home for longer. A survey by Alzheimer’s Society revealed 85% of people said they would want to stay at home for as long as possible if diagnosed with dementia.

Announcement: Forthcoming inter-and-multi-disciplinary co-produced book!

Friday marks three weeks since the close of "Better Futures for Older People - Towards Resilient and Inclusive Communities" BSG 2022 Online Conference hosted by UWE Bristol.