Effectively dismantling academic silos, The New Dynamics of Ageing brings together over 200 researchers internationally in a scientific discussion of critical issues surrounding ageing, the lifecourse and the environment. It is the first of two volumes from the New Dynamics of Ageing (NDA) programme (2005–2015), an ambitious £22 million research programme funded by the five United Kingdom (UK) research councils (and later the Canadian Institute of Ageing). Volume 1 synthesises the outcomes of 19 of the 35 NDA collaborative projects, many of which are multi-disciplinary and multi-partnered. Presented together, NDA projects are more than the sum of their parts. The reader is invited to observe links and opportunities for joint working, whilst reminded of the growing diversity of ageing research itself.
The book is split into three thematic sections: ‘Active and Healthy Ageing’, ‘Designing for an Older Population’ and ‘Global Ageing’. Section 1, ‘Active and Healthy Ageing’, presents barriers and facilitators of a long and healthy life at individual, household, community and national levels. Subject matter spans biological and social aspects of ageing with findings and discussion of the interaction between ageing, employment, physical activity, childhood health, music and the arts, and environment. Standout contributions include the analysis by Kuh et al. of five cohort studies (Chapter 4), which identifies a host of inter-relationships between physical and cognitive capability, psychological and social wellbeing over the lifecourse, and Hennessy and Means’ (Chapter 8) much-needed rural perspective on the civic engagement and health of older people, from the ‘Grey and Pleasant Land’ initiative.
Section 2 turns to ‘Designing for an Older Population’. This section threads together knowledge generated from co-produced initiatives in computing, clothing, biomechanics and home design. It is probably the most varied and rapidly developing research area included in the volume, with numerous examples of creative and adaptive innovations. These include: ICT with automatic feedback on instructions and use (Chapter 9); walk wear with integrated assistive technologies (Chapter 10); smart underwear to improve the management of incontinence (Chapter 11); digital visualisations of movement to help with diagnosis or treatment of complex mobility problems (Chapter 12); and kitchen and stair design (Chapters 12 and 13, respectively). Authors engage with technical concepts whilst avoiding jargon, and successfully ‘bridge the gap between research and commercial application’ (p. 232). The pace of advancement in this field may mean that technology will likely outpace publication. Nevertheless, NDA contributions will undoubtedly have legacy methodologically, particularly the description of the process of ‘slow design’ by Damodaran et al. (Chapter 9).
Section 3 addresses ‘Global Ageing’. If by now the reader is still left in any doubt that the notion of ageing is fixed, here it is taken to pieces. A comparative analysis of household data from Brazil and South Africa by Barrientos et al. prompts an interesting discussion over how wellbeing responds to changes in the lifecourse amongst different income levels (Chapter 15). Focusing on the capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Vera-Sanso explores in detail the economic role of older people in urban south India (Chapter 16), which Walker rightly describes as the smallest of the NDA projects that ‘packed the biggest punch’. As a precursor to this structure, Murphy et al. draw on the MAP2030 initiative to project the costs of long-term care to the public purse based on a range of major policy changes and support. By highlighting significant trends in ageing, care needs, informal and formal care provision, disability and pension reforms in the UK over time in Chapter 1, this volume avoids a common problem of lingering on demography as the primary perspective with which to understand ageing.
This book would be particularly useful for policy makers, as it addresses salient issues around ageing and could enhance understanding of how to implement measures practically for healthy and purposeful ageing. It is accessible and readable; an expert background is not necessary to grasp the implications. The synthesised analyses would be extremely useful for teaching and training purposes, since contributions expose students and early career researchers to a broad range of research designs, data sources, measurements and visualisations. A helpful index allows readers to follow specific concepts of interest, such as social exclusion or quality of life, in a range of methodological and analytical settings. Clinicians and community workers, specifically those working in a rehabilitation or preventative capacity, would also benefit from reading this to broaden an awareness of the current integrated landscape of ongoing research. It is easy to get lost in our own disciplines and/or research areas. New Dynamics of Ageing, Volume 1 reminds us of the bigger picture. Authors firmly, collectively, pave a new era of multi-disciplinary ageing research that conceptualises ageing as malleable. Whilst knowledge will continue to advance and emerge from individual NDA projects, Volume 1 acts as a comprehensive overview to inform debate and broaden the mind. It is like an open question, at once enabling and expectant of response.
