Conference Programme

Welcome to the 50th Anniversary Annual Conference of the British Society of Gerontology hosted online by Lancaster University from 7 - 9 July 2021. 

 The theme of the 2021 conference is ‘Ageing Past, Present and Future: Innovation and Change’.

The conference will be organised in streams reflecting the conference sub-themes, as well as an open stream. The conference sub-themes are:

• Ageing and resilience in adversity
• Changing connections and relationships
• Changing responses to age-related health conditions
• Diversity and culture in later life: where are we now and where are we going?
• Gender diversity and sexuality in later life: where are we now and where are we going?
• Health and social care practices, innovations and futures
• Health innovation and technology
• Housing for ageing in the 21st century
• Impact of and response to Covid-19: lessons for future pandemics
• Innovation in theories, methods and critical perspectives
• Maintaining health and well-being in later life
• Retirement and changing working lives in later life
• Social participation, citizenship and co-production in a changing world
• Sustainability and health in the environment
• The arts, leisure and older consumers

We look forward to virtually welcoming you to our conference!

Summary information about the programme

• The conference will be on line using Microsoft Teams and the Socio events tool.
• We will have a Teams Live Event for each of the plenaries, but a Teams Meeting for each other session.
• We will use Socio for posters, exhibition and socialising, plus potentially other social tools.
• We will have two Lancaster hosts for every event, both to ensure backup in case of one person’s internet failure, and for one person to manage the chat while the other chairs where necessary, although individual symposia will still have their own chairs.
• Parallel sessions will be shorter than usual at 60 mins. This means each session will have a maximum of 4 talks of 10 minutes each, with 5 minutes for questions and changeover. Symposia leads are, of course, welcome to organise their 1 hour sessions as they wish.
• There will be more breaks.
• There will be 6 parallel sessions. Number of choices within those will be decided by how many submissions there are, but we anticipate a minimum of 6. We may add more choices in each parallel session to accommodate more submissions.
• There will be specific poster sessions, again held in Teams meetings with 4-5 poster presenters allocated to each meeting. Poster presenters are expected to informally present their posters to visitors to their teams meeting. Posters will also be uploaded so that people can view them at other times too.

Programme overview by day

Please note that this programme is provisional until we confirm the detailed scientific programme in April 2021, and may be subject to change. All times are in BST (GMT+1).

Tuesday 6th July 2021:  ERA

09:30 - 17:30 Emerging Researchers in Ageing (ERA)

Please see the ERA webpage for more details on this event. 

Wednesday 7th July 2021 Day 1 of the Main Conference

09:30 - 10:15  Special Interest Group Market Place “Wander round” and meet the SIGs (using Socio platform)

Each Special Interest Group (SIG) will have a virtual exhibition site in Socio, which delegates will be able to visit in order to meet members of the SIG and learn more about the work they do. 

More information on the SIGs can be found here. 

10:15 - 10:30 Break

10:30 - 11:30 Special Interest Groups Research Symposia

Each SIG will hold a research symposium based on their special interest area. The details on these symposia will be released with the detailed programme in April 2021.  

11:30 - 13:30 Break and Lunchtime events.   

These are optional lunchtime events and more information (including information on how to access) will be provided to delegates:

• Meet our sponsors and exhibitors in Socio's virtual exhibition space
• Get Moving! Physical activity session with Lancaster’s sports and exercise specialists   
• Virtual Reality for Wellbeing:  Explore ideas of how Virtual Reality and Immersive Technology can impact wellbeing in later life.

13:30 - 15:00 Welcome Ceremony and Plenary Keynote Speaker 1.  

The first keynote addresses the past, with Professor Alison Findlay speaking about The Demonisation of Older Women. 

More information about keynote speakers can be found here. 

15:00 - 15:15 Break

15:15 - 16:30 Poster session 1

In this session, the first half of the posters will be presented in Teams sessions, with up to 5 themed sessions running. More information the poster themes and groupings will be shared with the detailed scientific programme.

16:30 - 17:00 Break With Exhibition

Meet our sponsors and exhibitors in Socio's virtual exhibition space.

17:00 - 18:00 Flagship symposium: Celebrating change in British Gerontology 

This flagship symposium will explore what has changed in key topics featured at the very first BSG conference in 1971. 

19:00 - 20:00 Welcome Reception.

The virtual Welcome Reception will feature a message from the BSG President, and provide opportunities for delegates to get involved in celebrating 50 years of the BSG Annual Conference. 

Thursday 8th July 2021 - Day 2 of the main conference

09:30 - 10:30 Parallel Session 1

10:30 - 11:00 Break with Exhibition

Meet our sponsors and exhibitors in Socio's virtual exhibition space.

11:00 - 12:00 Parallel Session 2

12:00 - 14:00 Break and Lunchtime events.

These are optional lunchtime events and more information (including information on how to access) will be provided to delegates:

• Walking football – benefits for people over 50 – interactive presentation and discussion with the footballers.
• Continuing learning group
• Meet our sponsors and exhibitors in Socio's virtual exhibition space.

14:00 - 15:00 Plenary Keynote Speaker 2. 

The second keynote session addresses the topic of the present and future, as Professor Michel Poulain discusses Blue Zones: A Model for our Ageing Society?

More information about keynote speakers can be found here. 

15:00 - 15:15 Break

15:15 - 16:15 Poster session 2

In this session, the second half of the posters will be presented in Teams sessions, with up to 5 themed sessions running. More information the poster themes and groupings will be shared with the detailed scientific programme.

16:15 - 16:45 Break

16:45 - 17:45 Parallel Session 3

18:00 - 19:30 Virtual Socio Event - Grab a drink and mingle, entertainment to be confirmed.   

Friday 9th July 2020 - Day 3 of the main conference

09:30 - 10:30 Parallel Session 4

10:30 - 11:00 Break with Exhibition

Meet our sponsors and exhibitors in Socio's virtual exhibition space.

11:00 - 12:00 Parallel Session 5

12:00 - 14:00 Break and Lunchtime events

These are optional lunchtime events and more information (including information on how to access) will be provided to delegates:

• Mentoring with ERA: find out about mentoring: “speed dating” style mentoring link ups 
• Co-research in dementia related studies: join with co-researchers as they discuss the impacts of their roles
• Meet our sponsors and exhibitors in Socio's virtual exhibition space.

14:00 - 15:00 Parallel Session 6

15:00 - 15:30 Break with Exhibition

Meet our sponsors and exhibitors in Socio's virtual exhibition space.

15:30 - 16:30 Plenary Keynote Speaker 3

With an emphasis on change in the third and final keynote session, Dr Sandra Hirst will discuss The Benefits of Narrational Relationships in the Lives of Older Adults.

More information about keynote speakers can be found here. 

16:30 - 17:30 Conference Closing Ceremony

The Conference close will offer thanks to this year's committee and delegates, and hand over to next year's conference host institution.