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Older People’s Research: Empowering Older Researchers in Ageing

The Older Researchers in Ageing (ORA) SIG brings together and advocates for older researchers from a range of scholarly, professional and community backgrounds who have come to research later in life. We hold monthly online drop-in meetings and an annual symposium at the BSG annual conference and collaborate on occasional workshops and scholarly and non-academic publications. Generally, we attract members who meet the traditional gerontological view of older adults as aged 50+. Because ageing is contextual, cultural, and personal, however people feel about ageing, if they feel this group would be right for them, it’s the place for them. What unites us are 1) our vision for a more inclusive and flexible research culture and 2) our commitment to contributing to ageing research that challenges stereotypes, builds scholarship, and shapes policy and practice, ultimately improving all our lives.

Focus:

*To provide peer support to older researchers in ageing who may be new to research and/or not on an academic career trajectory.

*To work together to create a more inclusive and flexible working environment for older researchers who feel marginalised. Work to date has identified a series of issues which we address through our solution-focused manifesto which is available via BSG Older Researchers in Ageing (ORA) | Groups | LinkedIn or by emailing BSGOlderResearchersSIG@britishgerontology.org. We advocate for change through actions based around 4 themes:

Value and recognise diverse skills and lived experience from earlier careers.
Develop alternative flexible and inclusive research career and funding pathways.
Support long term access to scholarly communities of practice and resources.
Invest in long-term network building across sectors and age groups.

* To support other researchers, groups, and organisations who work on ageing issues either as participants or in a collaborative/advisory capacity.

Steering Committee Members:

Chair/Secretary: Frances Sanders(BSGOlderResearchersSIG@britishgerontology.org)

Deputy Chair: Miranda Quinney (mirandaquinney@yahoo.co.uk)

Treasurer: Carol Maddock (c.a.maddock@swansea.ac.uk)

Communications: Stephanie Moffat (sjm110@leicester.ac.uk)

Projects: Lucy Szablewska(BSGOlderResearchersSIG@britishgerontology.org)

Joining the SIG:

Email us on BSGOlderResearchersSIG@britishgerontology.org and visit our LinkedIn group at BSG Older Researchers in Ageing (ORA) | Groups | LinkedIn. By joining ORA you can help shape the future of ageing research and a research culture that values and draws on the rich experiences that older researchers can provide.

Events:

We meet via Zoom on the last Friday of every month from 12-1pm. If you would like to join us for peer support, to ask questions or just talk about whatever is on your mind, email Frances at BSGOlderResearchersSIG@britishgerontology.org. Member feedback:“Just want to say to anyone thinking of joining, ORA is a lovely group, very welcoming, friendly and supportive.”

Other opportunities:

Please contact any of the steering committee members if you are interested in working with us in any way.

Further details to follow....