ESRC Society Today

The New Dynamics of Ageing programme is a five year multidisciplinary research initiative with the ultimate aim of improving quality of life of older people. The programme is a unique collaboration between five UK Research Councils - ESRC, EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC and AHRC - and is the largest and most ambitious research programme on ageing ever mounted in the UK.

The programme aims to develop practical policy and implementation guidance and novel scientific, technological and design responses to help older people enjoy better quality lives. This requires integrating understandings of the changing meanings, representations and experiences of ageing and the key factors shaping them (including behavioural, biological, clinical, cultural, historical, social, economic and technological), through direct engagement with older people and user organisations. The programme will harness inputs from a wide range of disciplines to reveal the dynamic interplay between ageing individuals and their changing technological, cultural, social and physical environments - local, national and global - and to develop methods and means for overcoming the consequent constraints on the quality of life of older people.

Further information

contact: Prof Alan Walker, University of Sheffield
email: a.c.walker@sheffield.ac.uk
tel: + 44 (0)114 222 6467
web: http://www.shef.ac.uk/newdynamics/

ESRC contact: joy.todd@esrc.ac.uk  tel: 01793 413109