CAP Research Seed Grants 2007
The commissioned projects selected for 2007-08 will cover:-
1. What the future holds: Older people as carers of adult dependant children with disabilities
2. MOTILITY 21: twenty-first century social engagement for the older citizen through social dance in Northern Ireland
3. Perceived barrier and solutions to Fruit and Vegetable intake in Older People
4. Beyond 90 Together
5. The Prohibition by Law of Age Discrimination in Access to Goods, Facilities and Services: A Study of Common Law Jurisdictions
6. CAP: The use of the justification test in age discrimination cases
7. Digital Divide, Ageing and Online Legal Advice
8. Ageing and Social Exclusion among Former Political Prisoners in Northern Ireland
9: Older for Older (O4O)
Further Details:-
1. What the future holds: Older people as carers of adult dependant children with disabilities
Dr Karola Dillenburger, School of Sociology, Social Policy, and Social Work
Phone 02870823620
Email: k.dillenburger@qub.ac.uk
Older people who are caring for adult children with disabilities are under tremendous stress because they may suffer health problems themselves; have financial problems due a lifetime of caring; may have to care on their own due to the death of their spouse; worry about the future care of their child; and may feel uncomfortable approaching professionals for help. This research will address issues of social exclusion of older parents as carers and thereby will offer an evidence base for policy development in relation to caring for older carers. Ultimately, the research will provide a resource for older people themselves, policy-makers, and practitioners, form the basis further large-scale research, and have implications for policy development with regard to older people as carers.
2. MOTILITY 21: twenty-first century social engagement for the older citizen through social dance in Northern Ireland
Dr Jonathan Skinner, School of History and Anthropology
Telephone: 028 90973705
Email: j.skinner@qub.ac.uk
This pilot research project intends to investigate one way of alleviating social isolation in the older citizen in Belfast, namely, through social dancing - a popular practice amongst the older citizen in Sacramento, US, modelled after ballroom 'tea dances' such as those found in the Blackpool Tower. Specifically, this pilot will collate qualitative (interviews, sense and QOL measurements) and quantitative evidence (heart rate, blood pressure, flexibility levels) from social dance teachers and practitioners to show the benefits of social dance in the older citizen. These findings will be written up into a development plan for social dancing in NI for the older citizen, publicized locally with the anticipated positive health findings from the local part of this study. The latter phase of the pilot will cover parts of Belfast where social dancing takes place in particular, but also - more cursorily - the other major cities in NI and village halls where social dances take place. The final intention will be to roll out the findings as well as the project in an extended form in the future.
3. Perceived Barrier and solutions to Fruit and Vegetable intake in Older People
Dr Katherine Appleton, School of Psychology
Tel: 028 9097 4326
Email: k.appleton@qub.ac.uk
Dr Jayne Woodside, School of Medicine and Dentistry
Telephone: 028 90632585
Email: J.woodside@qub.ac.uk
This research aims to understand why intakes of fruit and vegetables are low in older people, and what can be done to improve this situation. Fruit and vegetable intakes in older people often fall below recommendations, yet fruit and vegetables are highly beneficial for physical and psychological health and well-being. The project asks older people directly about the barriers and solutions which they consider influence their fruit and vegetable intake. Responses will be investigated in relation to actual fruit and vegetable intake and various demographic variables previously found to be important in fruit and vegetable intake in the general population.
4. Beyond 90 Together
Dr Maeve Rea
Department of Geriatric Medicine
Public Health and Primary Care Medicine
Telephone 02890972156/2153
Email i.rea@qub.ac.uk
In Northern Ireland, we are identifying a group of 90 + year old brothers and sisters as part of the EU-funded, GEnetics of Healthy Ageing (GEHA) project (Franceschi et al., 2007), which aims to identify genes or gene groups which may be important in ‘successful ageing’. These ‘90+ sibling pairs or sometimes trios are a quite unique group of people who have very personal and fascinating life stories to tell.
Through the CAP Research Seed Grant we seek to build on this foundation by arranging for the 90+ year sibling pairs to tell their stories, link the stories with visual images, to produce a digitial storyline for our 90+ year old sibling pairs. It is anticipated that the study will contribute to a positive and affirmative image of healthy ageing and help ‘empower older people to transform how they are viewed by society’, ‘raise awareness and understanding of ageing’ and ‘celebrate the diversity of older people’s lives’.
5. The Prohibition by Law of Age Discrimination in Access to Goods, Facilities and Services: A Study of Common Law Jurisdictions
Professor Brice Dickson School of Law
Telephone: 28 90973456;
Email: b.dickson@qub.ac.uk
Ms Lisa Glennon, School of Law
Telephone: 028 90973858
Email: l.glennon@qub.ac.uk
Dr Philip Larkin, School of Law
Telephone: 028 90973466
Email: p.m.larkin@qub.ac.uk
In several countries where the legal system operates on similar principles to those applying in Northern Ireland it is unlawful to discriminate against older people when they seek access to goods, facilities or services (such as transport facilities or health and social care services). Such discrimination is not at present unlawful in Northern Ireland. This study will look at how these laws operate in a variety of countries, such as the Republic of Ireland, Canada and Australia, with a view to recommending whether, and if so to what extent, similar laws should be put in place for Northern Ireland.
6. CAP: The use of the justification test in age discrimination cases
Rory O’Connell, School of Law
Telephone: 028 9097 3459
Email: r.oconnell@qub.ac.uk
The broadening of discrimination laws to include age discrimination brings with it new challenges for discrimination law. The circumstances in which age discrimination may be considered permissible may legitimately be though to be much wider than the circumstances in which race or sex or religious discrimination might be justifiable. This research examines the law in the UK, Ireland and Canada, to determine in what circumstances discrimination on grounds of age is considered to be justified under the law.
7. Digital Divide, Ageing and Online Legal Advice
Older people have been perceived as requiring support with regard to legal and soft law advice (for example the special practice area indicated by www.solicitorsfortheelderly.com) but they have also been that part of the population which is the least internet enabled. With the development of eGov, it is clear that there are a number of developing issues which merit study. Our aim in this research is to analyse these issues and to construct a set of parameters which those intending to provide legal advice (in its widest sense) via internet based resources should take into account in terms of good information system design.
Dr Subhajit Basu, Law School s.basu@qub.ac.uk
Mr Joe Duffy, Social Work Joe.duffy@qub.ac.uk
Prof. Philip Leith, Law School p.leith@qub.ac.uk
8. Ageing and Social Exclusion among Former Political Prisoners in Northern Ireland
There is a significant cohort of some 30,000 ageing former political prisoners in NI, of whom around 55% are now in their 50s or 60s, yet we know little about their lives as older people. Former political prisoners suffer significant psychological disabilities, ill health and multiple social and economic disadvantages as a result of their criminalisation, experiences of conflict and imprisonment and we also know from research on analogous groups that their problems are likely to worsen with age. The proposed research will adopt a life course perspective to explore (i) how former political prisoners experience ageing, (ii) how negative attitudes to age and stigma impact on their self perceptions and the perceptions of others regarding their needs, entitlements and deserts, and (iii) how these exclusionary attitudes and practices might be challenged to promote the respect, fair treatment and social inclusion of all older people in Northern Irish Society.
Ms. Ruth Jamieson (QUB, School of Law) r.jamieson@qub.ac.uk
Dr Peter Shirlow (QUB, School of Law) p.shirlow@qub.ac.uk
Dr. Adrian Grounds, MD (Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist and member of the Sentence Review Commission for NI.)
This report presents the findings of a systematic review of existing research on children’s perceptions of ageing. This project aims to gain a comprehensive view of research around children and young people’s perceptions of ageing by scoping existing literature using a systematic review (SR) methodology. This resource will be useful to policy makers, practitioners and researchers working in this area. The review will, in turn, inform the development of a larger scale proposal addressing gaps in knowledge in the field of ageing and intergenerational research.
9: Older for Older (O4O)
This research is jointly funded by Cap and the European INTEREG funding programme. The project will utilise the capacity of older people as a community asset, in applying their skills, knowledge and experience to provide services that will help maintain other older people in their communities. The project will identify areas of opportunity where older people can develop and provide services that are relevant to local needs. Through implementing regional pilot projects, it will establish which models of service provision are feasible in different Northern Periphery (NP) areas of Europe; ranging from voluntary organisations through to enterprise models (according to local culture and preferences). A transnational toolkit showing how to set up O4O organisations will be developed. The impacts of different service models on individuals, communities and institutions will be evaluated. The NP policy context for O4O will be mapped and transnational similarities and differences plus wider policy and practice implications and recommendations for the NP will be presented.
The project is a partnership between Scotland, Finland, Sweden and Northern Ireland. The NI team include QUB, Age Concern Northern Ireland and PRIME.
s.shortall@qub.ac.uk
Changing Ageing Seed Fund Awards 2006
The commissioned projects selected for 2006-07 will cover:
- Young people's perceptions of age
- Smart housing
- Medication regimes in nursing homes
- 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.