The Sciences of Ageing and the Culture of Youth (SAACY) is a project funded by a UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship. It looks at how we talk and think about ageing and how the way we do so can affect our experiences and ideas of what ageing means.
Cultural pessimism about ageing endangers all facets of intergenerational solidarity; it shapes perceptions of the worth and value of human beings and directs decisions about care, research and funding priorities. SAACY wants to inform practices and policy development in these areas through asking whether we can overcome cultural pessimism by understanding ageing as a lifelong process of change rather than something that happens at the end of our lives.
Our research is driven by two questions: how does culture frame the questions and paradigms of scientists and researchers when they think about ageing and diseases of old age? And how do scientific research developments and assumptions act as cultural forces - in particular, how do they influence societal approaches to dementia?
To address these questions, SAACY takes a multipronged approach that reaches across disciplines and sectors. A literature-based study closely attends to the dialogue between cultural discourses and scientific models of ageing. Our sociological study explores meanings and anticipations of ageing with our project partners from the third sector. And, in collaboration with the King’s Policy Institute and older people, SAACY aims to develop policy change for the ageing population.
Publications
- Martina Zimmermann, ‘From a ‘care-free’ distance? Adult sons about their parents with dementia: A cross-cultural enquiry’, in: Heike Hartung, Rüdiger Kunow and Matthew Sweney (eds.), Ageing Masculinities, Alzheimer's and Dementia Narratives (London: Bloomsbury, 2022), 19–36; open access.
- Martina Zimmermann, ‘Dementia and the politics of memory in fiction: from the condition as narrative experiment to the patient as plot device’, in: Irmela M. Krüger-Fürhoff, Nina Schmidt and Sue Vice (eds.), in The Politics of Dementia: Forgetting and Remembering the Violent Past in Literature, Film and Graphic Narratives (Berlin: DeGruyter, 2022), 55–70; open access.
- Anthony Britton and Martina Zimmermann*, ‘Informal dementia care: The carer’s lived experience at the divides between policy and practice’, Dementia: the international journal of social research and practice 21 (2022): 2117–2127; open access.
Awards
Lifelong Ageing Workshop:
£5,0K AHRC Impact Acceleration Account Rapid Response Fund 2023
This workshop brings together ECRs taking a lifecourse perspective of ageing with interested participants from local and national charities and third sector organisations.
Co-PIs: Martina Zimmermann and Joe Wood
AHRC Engaging with Government Programme 2023 (Martina Zimmermann)
Undisciplined Spaces 2023 (Joe Wood)
Co-producing Ageing Research:
£1,000 Small Grants Scheme 2022/2023
Aimed at both representatives from charities and organisations providing services to older adults, the workshop is designed to develop new themes in ageing research.
PI: Laura Hughes
Activities
SAACY Events
Members of the SAACY team organise and take part in a range of events aimed at the public, clinicians and/or researchers. You can read about our upcoming and past events using the link below. We are always looking out for opportunities to showcase our research and hear from others both inside and outside academia. If you know of an event we might like then please let us know!
Getting Older Film Club
SAACY runs a film club on the theme of ageing, hoping to show depictions of the ageing process in all its diversity. In collaboration with the Centre for Health Humanities, our Getting Older Film Club screens a series of films on fortnightly Thursday evenings that address our idea that ageing is not something bad that happens at the end of life but a process of lifelong change. All are welcome including King’s students and staff, and SAACY project partners. For more details follow the link below:
Lifelong Ageing Event – 17 May 2023
Our Lifelong Ageing workshop on 17 May 2023 brings together ECRs taking a lifecourse perspective of ageing with interested participants from local and national charities and third sector organisations. Through a range of ECR talks and opportunities to network, we want to start conversations between the third sector and up-and-coming researchers working in this field. Please save the date if you’d like to attend, and if you’re an ECR who’d like to contribute then check out our call for papers below before the extended deadline of Monday 30th January 2023.
Policy Labs
As part of our policy work, we are collaborating with our expert colleagues in the Policy Institute at King’s. This involves running intensive discussion workshops called ‘policy labs’ to explore perspectives on ageing with a range of participants from academia, policymaking, charities and other third sector organisations, as well as people with lived experience and community groups. (If you want to learn more about policy labs run via King’s, see the useful article linked below.) Our latest policy lab was in September 2022 and looked at how we can change the way we view the ageing process. We will be issuing a report with our ideas and conclusions from the discussions in September soon.
SAACY at the Brighton and Hove Ageing Well Festival
On the 21st, 22nd, and 24th of September Laura hosted discussion sessions as part of the Brighton and Hove Ageing Well Festival. The events were an opportunity to discuss the preliminary findings of the qualitative study of SAACY with the public attendees and to facilitate discussions about the findings and about ageism in the local community. The events were well attended with sixteen people taking part in in-depth discussions about ageism and ageing. An upcoming blog post will outline some of the observations and feedback from the events. An upcoming blog post will outline some of the observations and feedback from the events. See our blogs below and keep an eye out for updates.
Updates
Blog
We post regular updates on our blog which can be found here.
Press releases
-
Exhausting, frustrating and lonely’: A joint publication on informal dementia care. 4 October 2022.
- Dr Martina Zimmermann awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. 8 July 2020.
Interviews
Interview by Martina Zimmermann:
In January 2023, Martina gave an interview for the King’s Arts and Sciences Research Office Bulletinabout the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship scheme. Please find the link to the interview here.
Publications
- Martina Zimmermann, ‘From a ‘care-free’ distance? Adult sons about their parents with dementia: A cross-cultural enquiry’, in: Heike Hartung, Rüdiger Kunow and Matthew Sweney (eds.), Ageing Masculinities, Alzheimer's and Dementia Narratives (London: Bloomsbury, 2022), 19–36; open access.
- Martina Zimmermann, ‘Dementia and the politics of memory in fiction: from the condition as narrative experiment to the patient as plot device’, in: Irmela M. Krüger-Fürhoff, Nina Schmidt and Sue Vice (eds.), in The Politics of Dementia: Forgetting and Remembering the Violent Past in Literature, Film and Graphic Narratives (Berlin: DeGruyter, 2022), 55–70; open access.
- Anthony Britton and Martina Zimmermann*, ‘Informal dementia care: The carer’s lived experience at the divides between policy and practice’, Dementia: the international journal of social research and practice 21 (2022): 2117–2127; open access.
Awards
Lifelong Ageing Workshop:
£5,0K AHRC Impact Acceleration Account Rapid Response Fund 2023
This workshop brings together ECRs taking a lifecourse perspective of ageing with interested participants from local and national charities and third sector organisations.
Co-PIs: Martina Zimmermann and Joe Wood
AHRC Engaging with Government Programme 2023 (Martina Zimmermann)
Undisciplined Spaces 2023 (Joe Wood)
Co-producing Ageing Research:
£1,000 Small Grants Scheme 2022/2023
Aimed at both representatives from charities and organisations providing services to older adults, the workshop is designed to develop new themes in ageing research.
PI: Laura Hughes
Activities
SAACY Events
Members of the SAACY team organise and take part in a range of events aimed at the public, clinicians and/or researchers. You can read about our upcoming and past events using the link below. We are always looking out for opportunities to showcase our research and hear from others both inside and outside academia. If you know of an event we might like then please let us know!
Getting Older Film Club
SAACY runs a film club on the theme of ageing, hoping to show depictions of the ageing process in all its diversity. In collaboration with the Centre for Health Humanities, our Getting Older Film Club screens a series of films on fortnightly Thursday evenings that address our idea that ageing is not something bad that happens at the end of life but a process of lifelong change. All are welcome including King’s students and staff, and SAACY project partners. For more details follow the link below:
Lifelong Ageing Event – 17 May 2023
Our Lifelong Ageing workshop on 17 May 2023 brings together ECRs taking a lifecourse perspective of ageing with interested participants from local and national charities and third sector organisations. Through a range of ECR talks and opportunities to network, we want to start conversations between the third sector and up-and-coming researchers working in this field. Please save the date if you’d like to attend, and if you’re an ECR who’d like to contribute then check out our call for papers below before the extended deadline of Monday 30th January 2023.
Policy Labs
As part of our policy work, we are collaborating with our expert colleagues in the Policy Institute at King’s. This involves running intensive discussion workshops called ‘policy labs’ to explore perspectives on ageing with a range of participants from academia, policymaking, charities and other third sector organisations, as well as people with lived experience and community groups. (If you want to learn more about policy labs run via King’s, see the useful article linked below.) Our latest policy lab was in September 2022 and looked at how we can change the way we view the ageing process. We will be issuing a report with our ideas and conclusions from the discussions in September soon.
SAACY at the Brighton and Hove Ageing Well Festival
On the 21st, 22nd, and 24th of September Laura hosted discussion sessions as part of the Brighton and Hove Ageing Well Festival. The events were an opportunity to discuss the preliminary findings of the qualitative study of SAACY with the public attendees and to facilitate discussions about the findings and about ageism in the local community. The events were well attended with sixteen people taking part in in-depth discussions about ageism and ageing. An upcoming blog post will outline some of the observations and feedback from the events. An upcoming blog post will outline some of the observations and feedback from the events. See our blogs below and keep an eye out for updates.
Updates
Blog
We post regular updates on our blog which can be found here.
Press releases
-
Exhausting, frustrating and lonely’: A joint publication on informal dementia care. 4 October 2022.
- Dr Martina Zimmermann awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. 8 July 2020.
Interviews
Interview by Martina Zimmermann:
In January 2023, Martina gave an interview for the King’s Arts and Sciences Research Office Bulletinabout the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship scheme. Please find the link to the interview here.
Our Partners
We are committed to conducting our research with and for those who will be affected by it. We work with a range of Project Partners, including charities, think tanks and community groups to achieve this aim.
Tony Britton, The Pam Britton Trust for Dementia
“The Pam Britton Trust For Dementia very much welcomes this opportunity to work with Dr. Zimmermann on this most valuable research project focusing on dementia. This is important for us as it enhances our work locally to achieve change for those directly concerned. This most complex illness which is currently without a cure, has long required more factual knowledge and understanding.”
Aideen Young, The Centre for Ageing Better
"Ageing Better’s recent report showed that attitudes to ageing and to older people in the UK are mostly negative, with older people seen as incompetent, hostile or a burden on society. As our population ages, it’s vital that we dismantle the insidious ageism in society. We look forward to the outcomes of Martina’s work looking at the genesis of this damaging narrative."
Group lead
Martina Zimmermann
Lecturer in Health Humanities and Health Sciences
Contact us
Here’s the link to our project blog.
You can also get in touch with us using this contact form: https://forms.office.com/r/eMFCu0jDEJ