New centre tackles age-old problems

The University of Queensland's new Centre for Human Ageing - which officially got underway this month - marks the state's first strategic assault on the social and physical challenges of growing old.

Established to facilitate research and ongoing education across the broad spectrum of ageing issues, the new Centre draws together academic and professional programs from throughout the university.

Foundation Director Professor Helen Bartlett, lured from Britain's Oxford Brookes University to head up the groundbreaking centre, said the time was right to redefine society's attitudes about older people.

'There are so many dimensions to the ageing process and so many areas that warrant further research and teaching,' Professor Bartlett said.

'This centre brings together leading research initiatives across the University of Queensland and the ongoing work of the State Government's Office of Ageing, within the Department of Families.

'That means this centre it will be working at the policy interface, making our research directly relevant and applicable.'

Research would include areas as diverse as the economic implications of an ageing workforce, accommodation and care options, intergenerational relationships, and various health and social issues.

By involving older people as advisors and research participants, the overall goal would be to make positive changes for all of society.

'Older people today are living longer, and while they may experience a number of problems, they are in better health generally,' Professor Bartlett said.

'I think there needs to be a change in society's attitudes towards retirement and old age ? to move away from the idea that being 60 years of age or more makes you somehow dependent and peripheral, and to think more positively about the many ways in which older people can contribute to society.'

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
PROFESSOR HELEN BARTLETT (tel 07 3346 9080), CARRIE SCHOFIELD (tel 07 3346 4713 OR PETER MCCUTCHEON AT UQ COMMUNICATIONS (tel 07 3365 1088 or 0413 380012)