Showcasing the Intergenerational Living Innovation Hub

Professor Alison Bowes met with Lord Malcolm Offord of Garvel, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland, to demonstrate the new Intergenerational Living Innovation Hub, which forms part of Connecting Generations programme ‘Changing intergenerational relationships: a regional case study’.

The Hub includes a vital facility for testing out research innovations which support community integration, address inequality and improve intergenerational support, allowing co-production of research with local communities. Lord Offord heard details of the Hub which enables and supports transformative approaches to community resilience, wellbeing and economic regeneration in the region.

The Hub has received £7.25 million of UK Government funding under the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal. Joining the visit was Councillor Ellen Forson, Leader of Clackmannanshire Council and Chair of the Clackmannanshire Commission, which awarded the funding to the project. Councillor Forson and University of Stirling representatives, including Professor Bowes, spoke to Lord Offord about how the Hub will bring together researchers, industry, healthcare providers and the third sector to develop innovative ways for an ageing population to live, work and socialise. Architects, designers, construction companies and technology providers will work in collaboration to help bring commercially and socially viable solutions to life.

Professor Bowes has also been sharing this research with the charity sector, giving a talk on ‘Designing Homes for Healthy Cognitive Ageing’ at the ‘Independent Living Centre’ in Wiltshire. Further supporting this agenda, Professor Judith Phillips has been appointed to the Older People’s Housing Taskforce by the UK Government.

Further reading

University of Stirling ageing experts share pioneering work with Scotland Office minister (University of Stirling news)