A unique Network studying the health and wellbeing of older people is bringing together health, social science and mathematics experts in a revolutionary project which will help shape the long-term provision of health and social care services across the UK and ultimately benefit older people.
The Collaborative Development Network is being pioneered by Northumbria University and will build on a 25 year study into the wellbeing of a group of pensioners from the North East - who are now in their 80s.
It has been awarded £50,000 by the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Cross-Council initiative and is designed to build research capacity and capability by establishing multi-disciplinary partnerships focused on some of the major issues affecting older people.
Professor Charlotte Clarke, Associate Dean of the School of Health, Community and Education Studies at Northumbria says: "Society today is often guilty of focusing on older people as a problem - instead of concentrating on what people can offer to society and how to develop ways of managing.
"This exciting new Network is taking a completely different approach by identifying those aspects of the social, psychological and physical environment that enable an older person to use their own skills and abilities to the best effect."
Professor Clarke is working with a multi-disciplinary team on the project and believes that by taking a holistic approach to the research and drawing on experts, not usually associated with healthcare, the outcome will provide huge benefits to older people in the future.
She says: "There are important policy issues to be addressed through this Network - with the potential for health and social care resources to be directed in such a way that they really maximise what individuals have to offer. We believe the Network will both inform and support individuals, policy makers and healthcare professionals to ensure the UK is able to provide the very best support for older people in the future."
The Collaborative Development Network will involve health, social science, psychology and mathematics experts from Northumbria and academics from the Universities of Sheffield, Newcastle and Manchester, as well as international advisors from Australia and South Africa.
Professor Clarke says: "Research into ageing has traditionally been done in discreet areas, looking at either psychological issues, community influences or health related issues. We believe this is the first study of its type, drawing together social, health and economic factors, combining these with very individual and personal ability factors and then using mathematical modelling techniques to enable us to accurately plan for the future."