IN BRIEF


BIG SOCIETY BENEFITS What opportunities exist for disabled people with learning disabilities to contribute to, and benefit from, the Big Society? Researchers from four UK Universities – Sheffield, Manchester Metropolitan, Northumbria and Bristol – will work with organisations for disabled people, activists and allies to discover how disabled people with learning disabilities are participating in their communities, in public services and in social action. ESRC grant number ES/K004883/1


NEW LIFE STUDY The Life Study is an innovative longitudinal study that will track social, health and biological information for up to 100,000 UK babies and their families from all walks of life through pregnancy, birth and early years. Developed by an interdisciplinary group of UK scientists, it will collect extensive information on the health, development and life circumstances of a new generation of UK children. ESRC grant number ES/L002353/1


RISING FOOD PRICES Global food price rises threaten to undermine progress in improving maternal and child health and nutrition. Evidence suggests even temporarily high food price rises affect the long-term development of children. Researchers aim to assess the effects of food prices on reproductive and child health and identify national, state and household responses that may mitigate or exacerbate the health effects of rising food prices. ESRC grant number ES/K013130/1


Older people in the UK contribute not just cost


OVER-EMPHASIS ON the costs of Britain’s ageing population rather than fully valuing older people’s contribution to society shows a widespread failure to understand the experience of ageing, concludes a major research project. “As a society generally we view ageing as a ‘problem’ which must be managed”, says Professor Philip Tew. “Our core finding is that ageing cannot be treated as a single, solvable social problem; policymakers need to assume less and listen more to what ordinary older people actually feel and think.” Drawing upon mass observation


diary-keeping, supplemented by reflective reading diaries kept by volunteer group members from the Third Age Trust, a team of Brunel University researchers set out to discover how 300 selected older people judged their lives, their treatment and how they were viewed, as well as assessing their reaction to policies affecting older people. Professor Tew says: “We sought to give voice to older people, a rare opportunity in a society frequently denying such people any opportunity to articulate views on key social and economic issues.” This study’s findings challenge


many of the current assumptions about older people voiced in a public policy debate which seems exceedingly wide of the mark. For example, not one individual raised fear of crime as an issue, nor did participants appear disproportionately prone to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Rather, many described ageing as a


4 SOCIETY NOW SUMMER 2011 AUTUMN 2013


positive experience, a phase of greater confidence, peace and self-acceptance. Many participants resented current


policy narratives that emphasise the costs of an ageing population while ignoring the wide variety of contributions of older citizens, from paying tax to voluntary work and acting as carers for the young and old. Much resentment was voiced concerning ‘smash and grab’ policies aimed at either taking older people’s assets to fund residential care or removing certain key universal benefits such as free transport and swimming which help people remain active and socially engaged. Almost universal fear was expressed about poor NHS and residential care – based mostly on personal experience rather than anecdote – as well as considerable disillusionment with politicians and the policymaking process. Overall, age-based stereotyping and discrimination were considered serious issues. Professor Tew concludes: “Clearly ageing is a unique experience for each individual. Many older people feel undervalued and marginalised by the political class. Actually they want greater recognition of their active role in society and more dignity.” n


i


Demos, Coming of Age (2011), and Professor Tew and Dr Nick Hubble, Ageing, Narrative and Identity: New Qualitative Social Research (2013)


Contact Professor Philip Tew, Brunel University Email philip.tew@brunel.ac.uk Telephone 020 8411 0148 ESRC Grant Number RES-356-25-0007


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