Understanding and Promoting the Value of Older Age

The issue of how society treats its older generation will be among many topical questions discussed at an international gerontology conference at Plymouth University this week. The British Society of Gerontology’s 40th Annual Conference is set to cover a range of topics during the course of its four-day programme, from innovations in health and social care, to intergenerational relations and the role of technologies. Under the banner ‘Understanding and Promoting the Value of Older Age’ the event will bring together nearly 300 leading gerontologists, researchers, policy makers and other delegates from as far afield as China, New Zealand and Canada. Professor Catherine Hennessy, Chair of Public Health and Ageing in the University’s Faculty of Health, said the conference would showcase and share research and best practice on ageing and the older generation across a wide range of sectors. Professor Hennessy said: “A lot of progress has been made in terms of addressing the needs of older people. But still there is a lot of work to do to positively value, promote and celebrate older age. “Society has to adjust to the increased longevity of people, and it has ramifications in the workplace, in family, and in a range of areas that influence the quality of life for older age.