UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced that £10.7 million in funding will be shared across seven projects into healthy ageing research.
Designed to support the government’s healthy ageing ‘agenda’, the septet of projects will run for 36 months.
The studies will aim to develop better products and services for the ageing population. This includes focusing on:
- Identifying scalable sustainable design improvements for homes to enable people to live independently for longer.
- Increasing quality of life through ‘nature-based outdoor activities’ for older people with cognitive impairments.
- Supporting over-50s to work for longer with products that address challenges such as menopause and dementia.
- Addressing recruitment, retention and health and wellbeing challenges for older workers in residential care sectors.
- Designing digital resources that facilitate ‘health connectivity’ in older age.
- Addressing inequalities within arts and cultural participation in older age groups.
The Economic and Social Research Council runs the programme on behalf of UKRI and the projects aim to work with members of the public, as well as encourage collaboration with businesses and industry partners.
Professor Alison Park, Interim Executive Chair of Economic and Social Research Council, said: “The seven projects will provide an evidence base and timely insights about internal and external environments of relevance to ageing – for example, people’s homes and workplaces, and their urban and natural settings. They will also shed light on how social and digital connectivity can support physical and mental well-being through arts and cultural participation.”
