Series 2 (2020/2021)

Are we prepared to live longer? 

Dr Jitka Vseteckova

After introducing the Ageing Well Public Talk Series, this talk will cover basic biomedical and psycho-social aspects of ageing, age-related conditions e.g. bone health, frailty etc. and a brief overview of the next talks.

Dr Jitka Vseteckova - Senior Lecturer Health and Social Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Jitka has longstanding interest and passion in researching ageing and engaging with public.

What do we all need to know and do to prepare for death and grief, advanced care planning? 

Dr Erica Seruset Borgstrom and Dr Barbara Gale, MBE

Many of us are ill prepared and fear death. In this talk we will explore new ideas about using a public health approach to death and grief and considers how we can help people and communities be better equipped to support each other through dying, caring, death and grief.

Dr Erica Seruset Borgstrom - Senior Lecturer, End of Life Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Erica is a medical anthropologist and her specialist area in research and teaching is death and dying, with an emphasis on end-of-life care.

Dr Barbara Gale, MBE - Visiting Senior Fellow in Integrated Care for the Integrated Care Academy (ICA). Barbara has 40 years’ experience working in end-of-life care, with a background in nursing, palliative care and systemic family therapy. Most recently Barbara was Chief Executive of St Nicholas Hospice Care from 2007 to 2021, developing innovative models of care, built on public health and asset-based community development approaches to palliative care.

The ageing brain

Dr Jitka Vseteckova

This talk will cover basic facts on neurodegenerative conditions associated with ageing and age-related and non-age-related memory loss. We will also talk about how best to work with our ageing brain and types of mental/cognitive and physical exercise known for slowing the age related as well as non-age related brain decline.

Dr Jitka Vseteckova - Senior Lecturer Health and Social Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Jitka has longstanding interest and passion in researching ageing and engaging with public.

Learning languages and digital technologies in older age

Dr Ursula Stickler

This talk will discuss positive effects of bilingualism and or language learning on brain health in older age. We will look at the benefits and opportunities of language learning at any age and how digital technologies can support communication in another language.

Dr Ursula Stickler – Senior Lecturer (German Language) Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Ursula has a longstanding interest in learning languages while ageing and how we can use digital technologies to support us.

Care and caring in older age

Prof Mary Larkin

Around a third of all carers in the UK are now aged 65+ and their numbers are increasing. This talk will explore their needs and how they can be supported to care.

Prof Mary Larkin – Professor in Care, carers and caring Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Mary is passionate about research linking to carers and caring, adult social care, knowledge exchange, and the life course approach to health and well-being.

Nutritional needs while ageing

Mr Alan Hastings and Dr Jitka Vseteckova

This talk will explore what we need to consider around nutrition while ageing and how to support people to eat regularly and well. We will also cover diabetes and ageing.

Mr Alan Hastings – ‘In 2014  I was diagnosed as Pre-diabetic, i.e. close to Type 2. As an ex-Project Manager, I treat my health as a Project, so I control my diet with a colour coded chart (Red, Amber, Green) of everything I eat showing quantities, Calories, Sugar, Fat, Saturated Fat, Salt. Taking care of my health and creating healthy routines helped me to keep my blood sugar at acceptable levels.’

Dr Jitka Vseteckova - Senior Lecturer Health and Social Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Jitka has longstanding interest and passion in researching ageing and engaging with public.

Part 1

Part 2

Mindfulness while ageing

Dr Abigail Methley

This talk will cover a practical and theoretical exploration of the role of mindfulness in enhancing mental and physical well-being in later life.

Dr Abigail Methley - Senior Clinical Psychologist in North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, specialising in neuropsychology (the relationship between the brain and human behaviour). Abi’s role involves supporting people to understand and live well with the cognitive and emotional changes accompanying long term conditions including dementia. Prior to this she was the specialist clinical psychologist for an NHS older peoples' mental health and memory assessment service.

Move it and breathe

Dr Declan Ryan and Dr Jitka Vseteckova

In this talk we will go on more detailed journey into age-related changes in muscles, tendons, bones and the importance of breathing well, exercising well and enough.

Dr Declan Ryan – Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology University of Northampton. Declan’s main interests are sedentary behaviour and physical activity physiology, and the role of urban design in physical activity promotion.

Dr Jitka Vseteckova - Senior Lecturer Health and Social Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Jitka has longstanding interest and passion in researching ageing and engaging with public.

Standing Tall

Dr Jitka Vseteckova

In this talk we will explore further age-related postural alignment changes affecting postural stability and balance, and ways to compensate for 'gravity of ageing'.

Dr Jitka Vseteckova - Senior Lecturer Health and Social Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Jitka has longstanding interest and passion in researching ageing and engaging with public.

The things we don’t talk about – Intimacy and ageing

Dr Andreas Vossler

This talk will cover assumptions about sex and ageing, sexual health in older age, importance of intimacy and positive sexuality in later life.

Dr Andreas Vossler - Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, The Open University. Andreas focusses his research on promoting individual and collective health and well-being by applying concepts such as empowerment, participation, social networks and social support, social and economic justice.