The rapidly ageing population in our changing world requires the creation of inclusive, supportive and sustainable societies. According to one of the main authors, SWEAH doctor Isabelle von Saenger, Karolinska Institutet and several other involved researchers from SWEAH and alumni network SAIN – an interdisciplinary, international and intergenerational collaboration are the way to go.
‘As well as a strong and continuous dialogue between research, policy and a wide range of interest parties’, they write in the article.
Significant challenges remain: ‘Regional, national and cultural differences require a diversity of approaches. Ongoing geopolitical tensions have, in some cases, deprioritized ageing on political and research agendas’.
Decrease of academic freedom in parts of the world, even in democracies, has weakened the building and sharing of knowledge. But, the examined NKG2024, The Nordic Congress of Gerontology, where SWEAH and its researchers participated, serves as a vital platform and global hub for key stakeholders in ageing research and policy, according to the authors.
However, the fields of the humanities and arts remain under-represented – at the congress and within ageing research more broadly. ‘Strengthening their presence is essential, as these disciplines offer valuable perspectives on the cultural, historical and existential dimensions of later life. Their insights complement biomedical and social science approaches and enrich our collective understanding of ageing’, the researchers conclude.
Read the publication:
Ageing in a transforming world: insights for future research and policy from the 27th Nordic Congress of Gerontology