We have recently returned from our annual conference in Sheffield
feeling energized from hearing all the latest new research, policy and
practice from our BSG colleagues and friends from other disciplines. The
conference continues to have the exciting mix of a cutting edge forum
in which new ideas and research can be shared, whilst at the same
retaining the feeling of a supportive, friendly and engaging environment
to share these ideas. In particular, it is always a great pleasure to
see new and emergent scholars share the platform with long standing and
well established colleagues in ‘ageing’ studies. We are therefore
delighted that this issue of Generations Review showcases and celebrates some of the highlights of our annual conference.
It has been a very busy few months for the BSG
and BSG executive committee members and we are able to report on some of
these exciting developments and changes in ‘news and reviews’. Reports
by Kate Davidson, President, and Jenny Hislop, Honorary Secretary, bring
us up-to-date with the work and changes within the BSG and the
Executive Committee. One key development reported is the changing focus
of NOGs, reflected in its new name BSG ERA (Emerging Researchers in
Ageing), under the new leadership of Ian Sidney from Keele University.
We wish Ian every success in his new role and extend our thanks to Kelly
Fitzgerald and Karen Baker for their excellent leadership of NOGS that
has, without doubt, increased the profile of students within BSG.
There is a real flavour of the BSG Sheffield
conference reflected in the review and excellent photographs by Peter
Bath. Many thanks to Peter for all his photography and allowing us to
publish so many photos that can be shared amongst our colleagues. There
is also a frank and interesting reflection on the merits of involving
older people in our conference from Gail Mountain, who sets an
important, if uncomfortable, question about how it is possible to
effectively involve older people within the context of our academic and
policy driven lives. There are also fascinating reviews from other
recent conferences, ESA Glasgow (Emmanuelle Tulle) and IAGG St
Petersburg, and it is evident that BSG members have been taking every
opportunity to network, travel and disseminate our work in ageing.
The profile section this edition features Alan
Walker, Professor of Social Policy and Social Gerontology, at Sheffield
University. As this reveals Alan, like many of us, developed an interest
in ageing from observing the lives of ‘real’ people. Alan is currently
the Director of the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme, a cross-council
research funding initiative, which readers of GR will certainly hear
more about in future editions. His contribution to the development and
leadership of social gerontology as an academic discipline is
highlighted by his receipt of awards from both the BSG and the SPA
(Social Policy Association).
The research section is dedicated to a key
address and invited symposia from the BSG Sheffield conference and
abstracts from recently completed doctoral work. First, Professor Neil
Small writes a challenging paper about the philosophical basis of our
meaning of ‘self’ and ‘care’ amongst people with dementia. The paper
poses many questions that people who care for and know people with
dementia will have undoubtedly considered. Second, there are 6 reviews
from invited symposia at the conference. Symposia by their nature
consider new and challenging ideas and we are delighted to have papers
that consider a multiplicity of areas of research including
technologies, anti-ageing, ageing and dying, studying retirement
villages, and spirituality and dementia. The final symposium was a new
venture for a BSG conference, a review of a book that included authors
and reviewers, this time our very own BSG book Ageing in Society.
Third, we publish the PhD abstracts of recently completed doctorates
and congratulate the authors on their success. The research section
therefore not only reflects the diversity and inter-disciplinarity at
the heart of BSG but highlights the innovative and cutting edge nature
of the BSG conference.
Mental health is often described as one of the
‘Cinderella’ areas of the health and social care services in the UK. In
his review of the UK Inquiry into Mental Health and Well-Being in Later Life,
Philip Hurst from Age Concern England, illustrates that this is even
more evident for older people. This review highlights the neglect of the
broad mental health of older people and reveals the extent that issues
such as anxiety, depression and suicide have been largely over looked.
Mental health in later life continues to be an area where there is a
great deal to do in terms of both policy and practice to improve the
quality of life of older people.
Finally, in the Education and Careers section
Professor Peter Lansley
(University of Reading) reports on the
development and achievements of SPARC
(Strategic Promotion of Ageing Research
Capacity). This article
reminds us
of the complexities of developing structures,
support and funding for
early
career researchers in order to increase our
current and future
research
capacity in ageing. The achievements and
successes of SPARC do however stand as a great testament to the
importance of developing effective,
participatory and optimistic models for the
future.
We would like to thank all of our excellent
contributors for their time, enthusiasm and willingness to provide
material. We are also keen to hear from any of our BSG colleagues who
would like to write about their own areas of interest. The dynamic and
up-to-date nature of the newsletter is reliant on everyone’s efforts.
Naturally all contributions reflect the author’s own views and not that
of the Society.
If you would like to contribute to any part of this newsletter we would be very happy to hear from you, so please contact us at website@britishgerontology.org
We look forward to hearing from you soon
Wendy Martin, Sally Richards and Christina Victor.
Co-Editors.
University of Reading.