Changing Ageing Seed Fund Awards 2006

The commissioned projects selected for 2006-07 will cover:

1. Young people's perceptions of age

2. Smart housing

3. Medication regimes in nursing homes

4. Happiness

(1) Looking forward: A review of children's and young people's perceptions of old age

Research Team: Dr Rosemary Kilpatrick, Professor Geraldine Macdonald, Dr Laura Dunne (School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast)

Email: l.dunne@qub.ac.uk

This project will gather together all existing research on what children and young people think about ageing and older people and make this resource available to policy-makers, practitioners and other researchers.  The research team will then identify gaps in knowledge and indicate areas in need of research.  The project will lay the groundwork for tackling the gap between what older people feel their role to be and how they are perceived.  This research will benefit older people, policy makers and young people. This research was presented as part of the CAP research seminar series, details can be found here. 

This research has been completed. Details can be found here.

(2) Designing better homes for the ageing population in Northern Ireland.

Researcher: Dr Karim Hadjri (School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen's University Belfast)

Email: k.hadjri@qub.ac.uk

Despite efforts to improve the situation for older people living at home, problems remain in relation to use of kitchens and bathrooms, wheelchair use, climbing stairs and various other safety and comfort matters.  This research project will identify key issues and needs of older people and examine housing types, patterns of use and performance to inform design improvement.  The aim of the project is to bridge the gap between users and designers in order to deliver more accessible, flexible, comfortable and safer homes.  This research was presented as part of the CAP research seminar series, details can be found here.

(3) Medication regimes in nursing homes for older people: Enforcement or empowerment

Researcher: Professor Carmel Hughes (School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast)

Email: c.hughes@qub.ac.uk

There is increasing acceptance that patients should be more involved in decisions about their medication, for example on taking medicine where there are side effects.    While this may be possible for older people living at home, it is not known if nursing home residents have any say over continuing particular medication or whether they experience ‘enforced compliance'.  The project will explore medicine taking in nursing homes from the point of view of doctors, nurses and residents.  This research was presented as part of the CAP research seminar series, details can be found here.

This research has been completed. Details can be found here.

(4) Old age and happiness: Implications for health and savings policies

Researcher:  Dr John Garry (School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, Queen's University Belfast)

Email: j.garry@qub.ac.uk

Mispredicting happiness across the adult lifespan has serious consequences.  It leads to negative views of 'old age' and sometimes, older people.  It may also be a contributing factor in risk taking behaviour among some young people particularly in relation to health and savings.  Replicating a recent study in the United States of America that found that people are wrong to think older people are less happy than younger people, the research will explore happiness and older people in Northern Ireland. This research will presented as part of the CAP research seminar series, details can be found here.