Second Annual SPARC conference

Trinity College Dublin

14 May 2008

'Changing Lives in Ageing Societies: Exploring the Relationships between Ageing Research, Policy and Practices'

 

Many researchers and organisations have expressed the intention to contribute towards transforming the lives of older people in Ireland and abroad. Yet the ways in which they can achieve this aim are rarely explored.

The interface between research and policy is frequently referred to in discussions concerning policies of relevance for older people (such as pensions and long-term care). ‘Evidence-based policy-making’ is a catch-phrase utilised by both academics and policy-makers, yet explicit attention to its meaning and application is scant. This conference seeks to gain a deeper understanding of this interface between research and policy.

Ageing research often examines current practices in the delivery of health and social services to older adults, and hopes to contribute to changing these practices and attendant attitudes that societies and service delivery systems have adopted towards older people. However, there is a lack of clarity about the interface and dynamics between research and practice; about how the views and involvement of service users can inform the development of public health and social care services; and about the relationship between researchers, practitioners and older people.

The purpose of the conference is to explore the relationship between research, policy and practices: how research can (and does, at least sometimes) influence policies on ageing, and how issues concerning older people can be researched in a way that maximises the potential of research to influence policies and practices 'on the ground'. The conference does not focus on any single policy area - rather, the speakers will critically disentangle the complexities of the research, policy, practice relationship - address innovative research methods, strategies for enhancing the impact of research on policies and practices, and means of achieving a closer relationship between individuals engaged in research, policy-making and 'practice'.

The speakers (from the OECD, Cornell University, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Brunel University and Trinity College Dublin) will refer to specific policy areas (pensions, long-term care, aspects of health care provision/treatments etc.) and local or national cases of policy change/inertia to illustrate their arguments.

The conference will be of relevance to everyone interested in ageing research and policy, for those involved in managing or developing services for or with older adults, and indeed anyone with a more general interest in the research-policy-practice interfaces.

Venue: School of Nursing, Trinity College Dublin, situated at "The Gas Building", 24 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2.

Download conference programme (PDF 45kb)
Download speaker's profiles (PDF 75kb)

 

View Conference Presentations in PDF format
(Download Adobe Reader)

S.Collins - Joseph Rowntree Foundation (324kb)
M.Gilhooly - Brunel Institute for Ageing Studies (564kb)
K.Pillemer - Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (61kb)
A.Reilly - OECD Social Policy Divison (112kb)
E.Wethington - Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (271kb)