Other Funded Programmes in Ageing Research
Since 1997 the UK Research Councils have supported a variety of ageing-orientated programmes - EPSRC - EQUAL (Extending Quality Life), BBSRC - SAGE (Scientific Aspects of Ageing) and ERA (Experimental Research in Ageing), ESRC - GO (Growing Older). Since 2005 EPSRC, BBSRC, ESRC, AHRC, MRC have supported NDA (New Dynamics of Ageing), and in 2007 MRC announced a programme supported by other research councils to establish major centres in Lifelong Health and Wellbeing.
EPSRC and EQUAL: The requirement of current ageing programmes for a multidisciplinary approach and strong user focus builds heavily on the success of the EQUAL initiative which pioneered for the research councils multidisciplinary, collaborative, user-focused ageing research. This initiative resulted in many significant advances of value to policy makers and professionals working with older people and direct benefits to many older people. Details of EQUAL and the projects it supported can be found at the EQUAL web site (which is rather out-of-date) but the more recent projects and major projects funded as EQUAL Consortia on Prolonging Independence in Old Age, are described in detail below.
Current EQUAL Consortia Projects
- i~design 3: extending active living through more effective inclusive design, Professor Roger Coleman, Royal College of Art; Professor John Clarkson, University of Cambridge; Mr JH Richardson, Loughborough University
- SMART 2, Professor Gail Mountain, Sheffield Hallam University; Professor Norman Black, Ulster University; also Bath University
- I'DGO TOO (Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors 2), Professor Catharine Ward Thompson Edinburgh College of Art; Professor Elizabeth Burton, Oxford Brookes University; Professor Marcus Ormerod, University of Salford.
Four Projects resulting from the EPSRC Sand-Pit - Taking Care to the Patient :
- Enabling health, independence and wellbeing for psychiatric patients through personalised ambient monitoring (PAM), Dr Christopher James, University of Southampton; Professor E H Magill, University of Stirling; Dr John Crowe, University of Nottingham
- NHS my-care, Dr Andree Woodcock, Coventry University ; Dr Panayiotis Kyriacou, City University
- SMART PODS to reconfigure urgent healthcare delivery, Dr Sue Hignett, Loughborough University; Professor Dale Harrow, Royal College of Art
- Motivating Mobility: Interactive Systems to promote Physical Activity and Leisure for people with limited mobility, Professor Tom Rodden, University of Nottingham
Other Current EPSRC Funded Projects
- Pedestrian Accessibility and Movement Environment Laboratory (PAMELA), Professor Nick Tyler, University College London
- Remodelling sheltered housing and residential care homes to extra care housing, Professor Anthea Tinker, King's College London; Professor Julienne Hanson, University College London
- Design and Development of Novel Compression Therapy Regimes for the Treatment of Venous Leg Ulcers, Dr S Rajendran, University of Bolton
- Developing an Interactive Multimedia Activity System for Elderly People with Dementia, Dr A Astell, University of St Andrews; Dr N Alm, University of Dundee
- Multi-modal object tracking in a network of audiovisual sensors, Dr A Cavallaro, Queen Mary, University of London
Other Recently Completed EPSRC Projects (*= EQUAL)
Cognition, dementia, learning disabilities
- Assessment and Rehabilitation of Cognitive-motor Skills Following Stroke, Dr Janet Cockburn, University of Reading *
- A Multimedia Reminiscence Experience and Conversation Support for Elderly People With Memory Loss, Dr Arlene Astell, University of St Andrews ; Dr Norman Alm, University of Dundee *
- Design For Dementia: An Evidence Based Approach to Standards in Caring Environments,Professor Peter Tregenza, University of Sheffield; Judith Torrington, University of Sheffield; Professor Kevin Morgan, Loughborough University *
- Designing the External Physical Environment to Extend Quality Life for Older People with Dementia, Professor Elizabeth Burton, Oxford Brookes University
- Development of Devices for use in a Smart House for People with Dementia, Professor Roger Orpwood, University of Bath *
- The Production of an Input Device for Virtual Environments for use by People with Learning Disabilities, Professor Penny Standen, University of Nottingham *
- Network: Memories for Life Network, Professor N Shadbolt, University of Southampton
- Gestaid: Gesture-Driven Adaptable Interfaces for the Disabled, Dr Stephen Mckenna, University of Dundee
Vision and Hearing
- Hearing Loss in the Built Environment: The Experience of Elderly People, Dr William Davies, University of Salford *
- Acoustic Guidelines and Teaching Strategies for Optimising Learning Conditions in Classrooms for Hearing and Hearing Impaired Children, Dr Bridget Shield, LSBU; Professor Julie Dockrell, Institute of Education, London University *
- Deafness, Design and Communication in the Built Environment, Dr Geoff Cook, University of Reading *
- Development and Assessment of Reliability of a Self-Administered Hearing Test for the Elderly, Dr John Culling, Cardiff University *
- The Development of an Auditory Navigation Beacon for Building Emergency Egress, Professor Terence Fernando, University of Salford *
- Auditory Location Finder (ALF) with Emergency Call Facility for Blind, Elderly & Visually Impaired People, Professor Howard Kirby, Napier University *
- Glare Disability and its Practical Consequences in Patients with Glaucoma, Professor Peter Aspinall, Heriot Watt University *
- Document Production for Blind People, Professor Paul Blenkhord, University of Manchester *
- Digitally Improving the Clarity of Television Narrative for Hard of Hearing Viewers (Diction), Professor A Kondoz, University of Surrey
Design for All
- i-design: Inclusive Design for the Whole Population, Professor John Clarkson, University of Cambridge; Professor Roger Coleman, RCA; M Johnston, Central St Martins *
- A Design Tool for the Multivariate Estimation of Percentage Accommodated, Professor J Mark Porter, Loughborough University *
- An Information/Navigation Aid for Complex Indoor Space Feasibility Study to Establish Older People's Needs, Professor Anthea Tinker, King's College London *
- Older Users' Perspectives On Mobility - Related, Assistive Technology Research: An Exploratory Study, Professor A Tinker, King's College London *
- Using a Model of Hand and Object Interaction to Optimise Activities of Daily Living within an Inclusive Approach to Packaging Product development, Dr George Torrens, Loughborough University *
- Integration of Biomechanical and Physchological Parameters of Functional Performance of Older Adults into a new CAD Package for Inclusive Design, Professor Sandy Nicol, University of Strathclyde *
- Design For All of a Hospital Portal Serving Patients Needs for Information, Communications and Entertainment, Dr Rachel McCrindle, University of Reading *
- Simulating User Capabilities: Providing Tools for Inclusive Design, Professor J Clarkson, University of Cambridge
- PPA: Raising Awareness of Domestic Packaging Accidents and Injuries in The Elderly, Professor K Ridgway, University of Sheffield
Housing and Care
- Affordable Housing Adaptations using Modular Construction - A Case Study of Accessible Toilets and Bathrooms, Dr Andrew Atkinson, LSBU *
- Profiling the Housing Stock for Older People, the Transition from Domesticity to Caring, Professor Julienne Hanson, University College London *
- Feasibility Study: Identifying Cost Effective Strategy for Realisation of Life Time Homes in the Existing Stock, Professor T Jim Shields, University of Ulster *
- Integrated Control and Communication Systems for Distributed Sheltered Housing In The Community, Dr Chris Tweed, Queen's University of Belfast *
- Feasibility Study: Technologies for Telecare in the Home, Professor David Gann, University of Sussex *
- Advanced Sensors for Supportive Environments for the Elderly, Dr Stephen McKenna, University of Dundee *
- Introducing Assistive Technology into Existing Homes of Older People, Professor Anthea Tinker, King's College London: Professor Peter Lansley, Reading University
- IMI: Telecare Planning & Implementation (TCPI), Professor David Gann, University of Sussex
- A Decision Support Tool for Forecasting and Planning Resource Use in Long-Term Care for Elderly People, Dr T Chaussalet, University of Westminster
- Conditional Phase-Type Distributions for Costing Elderly Health Care, Dr Alison Marshall, Queen's University of Belfast
- Millennium Homes: A Technology Supported Domestic Environment for Frail & Elderly People, Dr S Cook, Huntleigh Technology Plc; Professor H Wolff, Brunel University
- Configuration and Design in Caring Environments, Professor Julienne Hanson, University College London
Accessibility and Driving
- Accessible Public Transport in Rural Areas (APTRA), Professor Nick Tyler, University College London *
- Bridging the Gap Between Theory & Implementation in Accessibility - A Best Practice Approach, Professor Marcus Ormerod, University of Salford *
- HMI (Human Machine Interface) Integration for Driver Systems - 'Integrate', Dr A Larkin, Coventry University ; Professor L Damodaran; Loughborough University
- Driver Assistance for the Disabled, Elderly and Able Bodied Drivers (Tele-Assess), Mr R Ball, University of Warwick : Professor L Damodaran, Loughborough University; Professor S Oliver, University of Sunderland ; Dr R Kimber, University of Southampton; Dr R Kimber, Transport Research Laboratory Ltd
- Modelling Access with GIS in Urban Areas (MAGUS): An Application to Wheelchair Users in Northamptonshire, Professor Hugh Matthews, University College Northampton *
- Improving Accessibility for those with Impaired Mobility (I-AIM), Professor K Bartlett, University of Newcastle *
- Development of Wheelchair Virtual Reality Motion Platform for Use in Evaluating Wheelchair Access, Professor Bernie Conway, Strathclyde University *
- A Feasibility Study into Creating Accessible Environments within the Briefing Process, Professor Marcus Ormerod, Salford University *
Other
- Citizen Science for Sustainability Research and Support Network, Professor M Eames, Policy Studies Institute
- Active Gaze and Control of Locomotion, Professor John Wann, University of Reading
- Challenging the Established Paradigm of Foot Control Over the Lower Limb During Walking, Dr P Graham-Smith, University of Salford
- Dissemination of Results on "Evaluation of Alternative Materials for the Prevention of Pressure Sores", Dr R Mootanah, Anglia Ruskin University
Lifelong Health and Wellbeing
MRC and LLHW: The LLHW programme is managed by MRC on behalf of other research councils and the Departments of Health of the UK and the devolved governments. General details are available at the MRC website. Here is the list of projects and networks supported so far.
The three funded centres
Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Host: University of Edinburgh Director: Professor Ian Deary
Centre for Brain Ageing and Vitality Host: Newcastle University Director: Professor Doug Turnbull
The Crucible Centre Host: University College London Director: Professor Nick Tyler
Ten Collaborative Development Networks
New Dynamics of Ageing
ESRC and NDA: The NDA programme managed by ESRC but which has received significant funding from other research councils is expected to continue for some time. General details are available at the NDA programme website and the ESRC website. Here is the complete list of NDA projects and networks.
Preparatory Networks: These 11 networks ran from October 2006 to November 2007. They were funded specifically to prepare applications for the second call for Collaborative Research projects in November 2007.
- Working late: strategies to enhance productive and healthy environments
- The development of an interdisciplinary rural ageing research agenda using the OPeRA (Older People in Rural Areas) network
- Self management of chronic disease in older people using wireless technologies
- KISS - Keeping individuals safe and secure :safety & security for older people
- i~work - Inclusive work in an ageing society
- Experiences and uses of technology in older age
- Design innovation enabling autonomy and independence through smart clothes and wearable technology
- Cultural perception and adherence to exercise & nutritional interventions in older (>60) individuals: physiological, hormonal and cellular constraints
- An integrated methodology to quantify the benefits of housing interventions for older people
- Adapting support to sustain autonomy: understanding the implications of changing capabilities for older ICT users
- A life course approach to healthy ageing: capitalising on the value of the UK life course cohorts
Collaborative Research Projects: These are major multi-disciplinary collaborations consisting of various complementary work packages and (usually) several research sites.
- Working late: strategies to enhance productive and healthy environments for the older workforce
- SUS-IT: Sustaining IT use by older people to promote autonomy and independence
- SomnIA - Optimising quality of sleep among older people
- NANA: Novel assessment of nutrition and ageing
- MINA: Migration, nutrition, and ageing across the lifecourse in Bangladeshi families: a transnational perspective
- MAPP-MAL: Multidisciplinary approach to develop a prototype for the prevention of malnutrition in older people: products, people, places and procedures
- MAP2030 - Modelling ageing populations to 2030
Programme Grants: These are stand-alone projects of a smaller scale and usually based at one research site.
- Transitions, choices and health at older ages: life course analyses of longitudinal data
- Psychometric testing of the multidimensional questionnaire and the causal model of quality of life under-pinning it.
- Promoting independence and social engagement among older people in disadvantaged communities
- Older people's use of unfamiliar space
- New metrics for exploring the relationship between mobility and successful ageing
- Maintaining dignity in later life: a longitudinal qualitative study of older people's experiences of supportive care
- Landscapes of cross-generational engagement
- Innovation in envisioning dynamic biomechanical data to inform healthcare and design practice
- Families and caring in South Asian communities
- Detecting and preventing financial abuse of older adults: an examination of decision-making by managers and professionals
- Ageing, well-being and development. A comparative study of Brazil and South Africa.
- Ageing, poverty and neoliberalism in urban South India
SPARC Projects: Overview | Life in the Home | Streets, Buses and Cars | Care Systems | The Older Worker | Product and Interface Design | Cognition and Communication | Vision | Exercise and Diet | Chemical Biology of Ageing | Oxidative Stress and Ageing Mechanisms | SPARC Project downloads | SPARC Awards Background | Eligibility | Special Features | Resources | Review Process | FAQs about applications for SPARC Awards | Awards: Downloads | Funded Programmes |
