In this Community Psychology project, we want to bring together academic researchers and stakeholders to produce new knowledge exchange activities to underpin and develop research and impact opportunities and offer meaningful change to older people’s lives.
The project initially aims to:
  • To create immediate links between the university and local communities around issues pertinent to older people, and their families and carers.
  • To develop knowledge of how communities support people’s lives as they age
  • To start dialogue with communities to understand opportunities for improving lives of older people ad their families and carers living locally
  • To co-develop community based solutions and support that impact and improve older people’s lives
  • To identify further funding as to how to develop university business (research, knowledge exchange, teaching) might support the immediate needs of older people in the community.
And has the following objectives:
  • To identify through discussions what the significant key issues are for older people living in Mid/West Wales
  • To identify people and places of meaning, significance and purpose along with channels of support that older people use in communities to develop an ecosystems of community
  • To co-create and co-develop solutions to key issues older people face in west wales that improve community, through a knowledge exchange community of practice approach
  • To identify research development activity that could support solutions to key issues ofr older people in west wales
The project will choose 3 locations to begin with (large town, smaller town, and village) and bring together older people, academics, and representatives from charities and local businesses and organisations in knowledge exchange activity including co-designing research questions, impact opportunities and co-developing community resources.

Outputs:
​Musselwhite, C.B.A., Deak, L. and Duggan, C. (2024). Understanding the role of community capital for healthy ageing in rural Wales. Can technology play a role?, Invited presentation to ASSIST Social Care Wales Seminar, Tŷ Trafod Ymchwil, Aberystwyth University, 7th June.
Musselwhite, C.B.A., Deak, L. and Duggan, C. (2024). Understanding the role of community capital for healthy ageing in rural Wales, Invited presentation for Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CADR) Conference, Bangor University, 6th March.
Musselwhite, C.B.A., Deak, L. and Duggan, C. (2023). Understanding the role of community capital for healthy ageing in rural Wales, British Society of Gerontology Conference, University of East Anglia, 5th July.