Shaping the future of later life: Oxford Brookes hosts international gerontology conference

Oxford Brookes University’s Headington campus recently welcomed over 400 international academics, policymakers, and delegates as host of the 55th British Society of Gerontology (BSG) Annual Conference.

The three-day event shone a bright spotlight on the university's ongoing research and its vital contributions to both the local community and global research for healthy ageing, for example ongoing work exploring how to make Oxford a better place to grow old.

The conference brought together two world-renowned plenary speakers:

• Professor Sarah Harper (University of Oxford): Explored the environmental and societal implications of falling fertility rates and rising life expectancies.
• Dr Emi Kiyota (National University of Singapore): Shared insights into creating sustainable, inclusive environments by collaborating with urban planners and architects to adapt to rapid demographic shifts.

Complementing these global perspectives, the co-lead of the Oxford Brookes Healthy Ageing & Care (HAC) research network, Rhona Riachi, chaired a panel discussion with local partners, the Archway Foundation and Age UK, to debate how local charities can build scalable ways to tackle loneliness, focusing on making later life fairer and more connected.

Research with real-world impact

With more than 100 researchers, the Oxford Brookes HAC network shared its diverse research strengths with delegates. Key examples included:

Alcohol and Other Drug-Related Harms

Dr Emma Davies led a session on her co-designed SPACES intervention—a storytelling toolkit helping mid-life women find non-judgmental, relatable strategies for alcohol reduction.

Housing and Assistive Technology

Dr Karla Zimpel-Leal and Dr Young-Ha Cho presented their collaborative work on integrating technology and housing design to better support independent living and person-centred care networks.

Climate & Resilience

Professor Rajat Gupta discussed his work on retrofitting UK care homes and healthcare facilities to shield vulnerable older adults from extreme indoor heat.

Anthropology of Care

Dr Jason Danely shared insights from fieldwork in Japan, exploring how frailty, loss, and unpaid caregiving are deeply shaped by social and cultural contexts rather than just biology.

Oxford: An 'Age-Friendly City'

As a prime example of the network's commitment to healthy ageing in the local community, delegates were introduced to the ongoing Age-Friendly Oxford project. A joint venture with the University of Oxford (GCHU), the initiative maps local needs and builds stronger partnerships to support older residents across the city.

Amongst other activities, the project led two workshops in April and June, Ageing in Oxford: Understanding Everyday Reality, funded by the Vivensa Academy. The event united older residents, local workers, and Brookes staff to share lived experiences and help co-produce a blueprint for a truly inclusive city.

By connecting global findings to the everyday realities of people in Oxford, the conference successfully highlighted what matters most: creating practical, community-driven support for later life.