King's College London (KQC) newsletter
MI ISTER OF STATE TO LAUNCH INSTITUTE AT K I G'S On Monday 27 January the new Age Concern In titute of Gerontology at King' will be formally launched by the visit of Bamey Heyhoe, MY., Minister of State for Health, to peak on government policy for older people.
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chara terised by the attered. if enthu laStlc and skilful effort of mdividual in many department, medical school and univer iti .
There is therefore a trong argument for a new initiative m the education of tudent which 1 multi-fa 'ulty ba ed and re pond to the m ights of related profe ions and di cipline King', with its School of Medicine and Dentistry. and department in lile cience, law, nutritlOn, education and geography ofters huge potential tor multi-disciplinary work. Age Concern with social research and evaluation, service practice. training, publishing and advocacy contributes complementary experti e. Area of current research whlch the Instltute hopes to develop in lude the biology of agemg the evaluation of innovatlve care heme, ethical and legal 1 sues concerning the elderly and medical care, demographic and housing tudies, social survey research and nursing care among the elderly.
Dr Camera" Swift speaking at the Introductory Briefing. On Monday 27 January the new Age Concern In titute of Gerontology at King's will be formally launched by the visit of Barney Heyhoe. M.P., Minister of State for Health, to speak on government policy for older people. The collaboration between the College and Age Concern England to e tablish an Institute of Gerontology has been welcomed as an opportunity to build a research and teaching centre of national and international significance. At an rntroductory Briefing held on 16 January at 552 King's Road, where the Institute will be based, the Principal (Professor Sutherland), David Hobman, Director of ge Concern, Jonathan Barker, Head of the Age Concern Research nit, Dr Tony Warnes of the Dept of Geography at King sand Dr Cameron Swift, the new Professor elect of Health Care for the Elderly at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, spoke of the great excitement
felt at the range of activities that will flow from this initiative and of the plans for the future. The Institute aims to foster the understanding of ageing and old age and develop the means of improving the welt being of older people. This will be achieved by the development of research, teaching (particularly award bearing cour es) public lecture and eminars and links with statutory. voluntary and private sector ser vice planners and providers. This century has seen a rapid growth in the elderly population and considera ble changes in its aspirations, demands and needs. However, the level of development of research and teaching concerning the processes of ageing and the situation of the elderly, while excellent in specific areas, such as the biological sciences, has been poorly co-ordinated in Britain. Gerontology in higher education has been
If anyone would like to learn more about the Institute and its plans, please contact Dr Tony Warnes or Mr Jonathan Barker at The Age Concern Institute of Gerontology, Chelsea Campus, 552 King's Road (teI. ext. C3620/3626).
The lecture being given by the Minister of State for Health on 27 January to launch the Institute is part of a series of Public Lectures being held at the College to mark the inauguration of the Institute. Full details of the lectures, which are entitled 'Gerontology: Per pectives Practice and Politics' are given in the Public Lectures section of this newsletter.
See page 3 for news of special appeal