In 2011 CARDI funded six new research projects based on the theme of improving health and quality of life of older people on the island of Ireland. Unlike other research funded by CARDI to date, these projects are concentrating on ‘data-mining’ - exploring statistics that have already been published but have not been exploited to the full.

Dr Karen Morgan, lecturer in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, along with two colleagues, examines the link between an active lifestyle and depressive moods and anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure) in order to examine how the physical and mental health of older people can be improved through changes in public health and other services, such as transport.

You can read the full report at the following link: Physical activity and core depressive symptoms in the older Irish adult population

CARDI has also prepared a research brief including findings from this project and two other CARDI funded projects. Download the briefing paper here: Physical activity and mental health in ageing