News

Pensions and healthcare benefits vary widely across the globe as do people’s perception of their happiness as they age. This article in the Guardian examines 12 countries, including Ireland and the UK, using statistics from Global Agewatch 2014 and additonal reporting. Ireland ranks highly in comparison to other countries.

British Sociological Association (BSA) Medical Sociology Group Annual Conference 2015

Call for Papers

Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 September 2015

University of York

Abstract submissions are now being sought for oral presentations, poster presentations and symposia / special events. For further details on topics and streams please visit http://www.britsoc.co.uk/medical-sociology.aspx

The wealthiest groups in society enjoyed disproportionate gains in life expectancy and reductions in death rates during the boom years of the Celtic Tiger research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ERSI) shows. Although all classes benefited from the “longevity bonus” conferred during the boom, the improvement was not shared equally. Read more here.

Junior Health Minister for ROI Kathleen Lynch has said an additional €30m is needed every year for the Fair Deal nursing home scheme to ensure people are not waiting longer than eight weeks. But she said the Government would not be seeking an increase in the contributions made by patients in the scheme which is costing €950m this year. Read more here.

Read more about issues relating to long-term care and Fair Deal in Ireland here:

Universal benefits for pensioners will be protected if the Conservatives win May's UK general election, Prime Minister David Cameron has said. In a speech he outlined the party's pledge to ensure that older people be treated with dignity and dismissed criticism that pensioners were being unfairly favoured. Read more here.

Older people who have sleep problems found more relief from a mindful meditation program than from a conventional sleep education program according to a study from the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at the Semel Institute. The participants used a meditation program from UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, taught by a teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Read more here.

For older people who have some trouble getting around, even light activity like household chores may be better for the heart than no activity, according to a new study from the University of Florida.