The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the marginalities of ageing experiences for many groups of older adults. It has also demonstrated the pervasiveness of inequalities for these groups and the absence of their voice across social and economic, civic and health spheres. These challenges to inclusivity, however, are longstanding – despite being more acute in form and impact since the onset of the pandemic. Arguably, they emerge from different degrees of: our collective complacency; deficiencies in our support systems; and how we view and position ageing and older people within our policies, practices and communities. But how can we distil learning from this recent unsettling and uncertain period, when, thus far, the perspective of marginalised older adults have not been sufficiently captured within research published on and around the COVID-19 crisis? Without these perspectives, our criteria for policy development, resource allocation and, ultimately, inclusive societies, are always likely to be skewed and unequal.
In collaboration with the Irish Gerontological Society (IGS), the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG) and the Centre for Economic and Social Research on Dementia (CESRD), at NUI Galway, will begin to address this deficit in the four-seminar Marginalised Ageing and Inclusive Systems online series.
As a part of the IGS 2020/2021 scientific programme, this series will draw on ICSG and CESRD research conducted with diverse and vulnerable older people during and around the COVID-19 pandemic, and will critically assess current gaps, and future opportunities.
The series incorporates the voices and views of such groups as precarious older workers, informal carers, people living with dementia, older members of the Traveller and homeless communities, and older adults who have experienced isolation and age discrimination.
It will also present the perspectives of key stakeholders and international research experts in response to this research, as well as showcasing the work of early-career researchers on social and economic aspects of ageing.
January 14th 2021
Time: 3.00-4.30 pm
Registration – https://www.irishgerontology.com/event_list
Meeting 1: Targeting disadvantage and inequality in ageing societies.
This webinar, Targeting Disadvantage and Inequality in Ageing Societies, investigates the pervasiveness of complex forms of disadvantage across the life course for older populations, and how the COVID-19 outbreak has altered these patterns. It presents the findings of three empirical research studies conducted during the pandemic on different kinds of inequality: health and gender implications for older workers; age discrimination and safeguarding access to services; exclusion from social relations for older men and women. More details here
February 18th 2021
Time: 3.00-4.30 pm
Registration – Now open
Meeting 2: Promoting Marginal Older Adult Voices and Identities: Launch of the findings of the Older Traveller and Older Adult Homeless (OTOH) Study.
This webinar presents the findings of the Older Traveller and Older Adult Homeless Study, which investigated the life-course and structural determinants of positive subjective health for these two groups. With a view to informing flexible models of home care provision for marginalised populations, the research used a voice-led and participatory approach involving older members of both groups in consultative forums, life-course interviews and participant researcher training.
In addition to presentations on research findings, a series of policy briefs will be launched. This work was funded by the Health Service Executive Ageing Research Awards. Contributors will include: Dr. Ana Terrés (Health Service Executive); Prof. Kieran Walsh (ICSG); Dr. Bridin Carroll (ICSG), and insights from research participants Kathleen Sweeney and Leo Redmond as well as key policy and practice collaborators in the area of inclusion health. Prof. Chris Phillipson (University of Manchester, UK) will serve as respondent.
March 11th 2021
Time: 3.00-4.30 pm
Registration – https://www.irishgerontology.com/event_list
Meeting 3: Continuum of Care and People with Dementia.
April 22nd 2021
Time: 3.00-4.30 pm
Registration – https://www.irishgerontology.com/event_list
Meeting 4: Family Carers, Public Policy and Dementia
More details available here
IGS in partnership with the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology and the Centre for Economic and Social Research on Dementia.
