NEWSNEWSAugust 2012

A better future for ageing

Introducing the FLARE 2 fellows

It is my great pleasure, on behalf of ERA-AGE 2, to present fi fteen of Europe’s most highly talented young scientists in the ageing research fi eld. In 2010 they won the second call for Europe’s pioneering post-doctoral programme for ageing research fellowships, in the face of very tough competition.

The Future Leaders of Ageing Research in Europe (FLARE) Programme brings together European countries to promote ageing research and, especially, the building up of capacity in multidisciplinary research among young scientists.

Under the aegis of ERA-AGE 2, the Austrian Academy of Sciences; Academy of Finland (AKA), Finland; Caisse Nationale de Solidarité pour l’Autonomie (CNSA), France; Ministry of Health, Israel; Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR), Luxembourg; Ministry of Health and UEFISCDI, Romania, and; Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS), Sweden created further fi fteen 3-year post-doctoral fellowships (to add to the eighteen awarded in 2007). Thus the FLARE fellows represent the cream of young European multidisciplinary researchers in the ageing fi eld.

The FLARE 2 Fellows have now joined the fi rst cohort in this pioneering programme which emphasises the importance of nurturing the next generations of researchers in this fi eld. Europe currently has some of the world’s leading researchers on ageing, but they too are ageing, and too little has been done to build capacity for the future. The FLARE programme embodies both European mobility

and cross-disciplinary training (each fellow spends at least 6 months working in another country and with a different discipline to their own).Thus it is intended to encourage multi-disciplinarity among young scientists in recognition of its importance to an understanding of the ageing process and its implications for society.

Four Summer Schools have taken place, in 2008 in Sweden, 2010 in Bulgaria, 2011 in Spain and recently in August 2012 in Ireland. Each Summer School brings FLARE Fellows together, along with other ageing research post-docs from Europe and North America to: enhance communication and cooperation between researchers; develop a well-trained cohort of European multi-disciplinary researchers in this fi eld; connect post-doctoral researchers to other researchers, research institutes and scientists, and create a network of European experts and institutes to participate in future national and EU-funded ageing research.

The posters in this publication showcase the range and variety of FLARE 2 projects. Having read their original applications, seen their posters and met the Fellows at recent Summer Schools I am confi dent that this group will indeed play a leading role in the future of European ageing research and continue the high quality of the FLARE 1 Fellows. It is with both pleasure and pride that I present them here.

Alan WalkerProfessor of Social Policy and Social GerontologyDirector of ERA-AGE

FLARE 2 Fellows (2011-2014/15)

Nine FLARE 2 Fellows have been funded by: Austrian Academy of Sciences; Academy of Finland (AKA), Finland; Caisse Nationale de Solidarité pour l’Autonomie (CNSA), France; Ministry of Health, Israel; Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR), Luxembourg; Ministry of Health and UEFISCDI, Romania, and; Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS), Sweden

• Ana-Mara Buga - University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Molecular Medicine Department, Craiova, Romania. Project: Identifi cation of axonal growth-relevant genes in the aged post-stroke brain

• Anna Dahl - Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Stockholm, Sweden. Project: Weight trajectories and health in late life; a life course approach.

• Henna Hasson - Karolinska Institutet, Medical Management Centre (MMC), Stockholm, Sweden. Project: Successful implementation of improvement programs in elderly care.

• Marko Korhonen - University of Jyväskylä, Department of Health Sciences, Gerontology Research Centre, Jyväskylä, Finland. Project: Can regular exercise slow the aging processes in muscle and bone ? International collaborative study on lifetime athletes

• Gitit Lavy Shahaf - Bar Ilan University, Dept: The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Unit: The Computational Immunology Lab, Ramat-Gan, Israel. Project : Understanding B cell lineage population and repertoire changes in aging, and in people with AIDS.

• Anja Leist - University of Luxembourg, INSIDE, Walferdange, Luxembourg. Project: Health in Old Age: A study on the interplay of Economic and Individual infl uences.

• Fredrica Nyqvist - National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Mental Health Promotion Unit, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Helsinki, Finland. Project: Social Capital, Loneliness and Mental Well-Being in an Ageing Population: Social Inequalities

• Nicolas Sirven - Institute for Research and Information in Health Economics (IRDES), Paris, France. Project: Frailty Research in Economics, Society, and Health (FRESH)

• Ulrike Waginger - University of Vienna, Working group for Social Gerontology, Life Course and Social Policy Research, Institute of Sociology, Vienna, Austria. Project: Early Retirement and Well-being in Europe: A secondary analysis based on SHARE and ELSA

FLARE 2 Associate Fellows (2011-2014/15)

Due to the number of high quality applications received during the FLARE 2010 call, the Academy of Finland (AKA) has funded another six FLARE proposals under a standard Finnish scheme. We are pleased to welcome six FLARE 2 Associate Fellows to the programme, who will also embody the FLARE programme’s commitment to multi-disciplinary, multi-national European ageing research.

• Petra Grönholm-Nyman - Abo Akademi University, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Turku, Finland. Project: Conigitive training in normal and aging and Mild Congitive Impairment.

• Kathrin Komp - University of Helsinki, Department of Social Research / Social Policy, Helsinki, Finland. Project: The moral economy of the third age. Why governments encouraging productivity in old age are unpopular.

• Jenni Kulmala - University of Jyväskylä, Gerontology Research Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland. Project: Are

psychosocial symptoms and self-rated health early and shared risk factors for physical disability and cognitive decline in old age? (PSCog)

• Ulpukka Isophkala-Bouret - University of Helsinki, Institute of behavourial Sciences, Helsinki, Finland. Project: What is the matter with ageing and expertise? Narrative inquiry into the experiences of older workers who acquire Master’s degrees in their fi fties.

• Mirka Rauniomaa - University of Oulu, Faculty of Humanities, Oulu, Finland. Project: Back behind the wheel: Social interactional Perspectives on Older drives and driver education.

• Monika von Bonsdorff - University of Jyväskylä, Department of Health Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland. Project: Dynamic retirement - Prospective analysis on early and midlife individual and work-related predictors.

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FACULTY OF SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCESDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SCIENCES

CAN REGULAR EXERCISE SLOW THE AGING PROCESSES IN MUSCLE AND BONE? INTERNATIONAL

COLLABORATIVE STUDY ON LIFETIME ATHLETESMarko Korhonen1, Harri Suominen1, Ari Heinonen1, Markku Alen2,

Lars Larsson3, Hans Degens4, Jörn Rittweger5

1Department of Health Sciences, Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyväskylä, Finland, 2Oulu University Hospital, Finland, 3Uppsala University, Sweden, 4Manchester Metropolitan University, England, 5German Aerospace, Germany

BACKGROUNDA number of short-duration intervention studies have demonstrated that physical training can counteract the aging- and inactivity-related muscle wasting and weakness as well as bone loss (e.g. Reaburn, Dascombe Eur Rev Aging Phys Act 2009). Nevertheless, little is known how long-term physical training on regular basis affects the aging musculoskeletal system. It has been emphasized that habitually-trained middle-aged and older “masters” or “veteran” athletes (>35 yrs) are unique in that their musculoskeletal system has been subjected to a great amount of stress over many

stimulus has been utilized and that any age-related changes in their musculoskeletal

Sci Sports 2007). However, to date there are only few large-scale masters athlete studies, particularly longitudinal ones, which provide evidence of a causal relationship between observed physiological changes, training, and aging.

AIMSThe overall aim of this international and interdisciplinary project is to increase the

hypotheses are as follows:

Aim #1: To describe age-related changes in lower limb musculoskeletal properties in male and female sprint/power-, endurance- and strength-trained athletes and untrained people.Hypothesis #1

in limiting muscle atrophy while endurance training is of lesser value in maintaining muscle mass with age. In older age bone mineral content and density decline in athletes but are maintained clearly above osteopenia and osteoporosis thresholds

mechanical loading (sprint>strength>endurance).

SUBJECTSThe data for the project are derived from two ongoing longitudinal studies (Sprint

training study). Sprint study includes Finnish male sprinters (17-84 yr, n=108) who will

in bone and muscle properties in male and female athletes (35-90 yr, n=400) of different sporting events. Strength training study investigates the effectiveness of high-intensity strength training to further enhance skeletal muscle and bone characteristics in masters runners with weaker background in strength training compared to young athletes. The subjects were the 40-85-year-old men who participated in Sprint study

MEASUREMENTS Bone characteristics (pQCT, DXA)

Tibial bone density, structure and strength Areal bone density and structure of femoral neck and lumbar spine

Whole-muscle structure (pQCT, ultrasound) Muscle cross-sectional area and thickness Pennation angle and fascicle length Intramuscular fat

(m. vastus lateralis) Fiber type and size

PRELIMINARY RESULTSOur recent results on bone properties indicate that training regularly in high-impact

suggests that participation in sport activities with higher impacts is an effective method of maintaining bone strength throughout the adult life span (Ireland, Korhonen, et al. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact 2011).

The good tibial bone strength of aging sprint athletes was mainly related to improved geometrical structure, whereas smaller adaptive effect was observed in bone density measures. Inter-individual differences in bone traits seem to be due to combined

results will be presented in 2013.

Marko Korhonen, Gerontology Research Center, Department of Health Sciences, University

marko.t.korhonen@gmail.com

Bone

Athletes

Men

0 20 40 80 Age

Osteoporosis

OsteopeniaWomen

Fig. 1.

Aim #2combined sprint-strength training and to study the cellular and molecular factors underlying the muscle hypertrophy in male sprinters. Hypothesis #2: Age will not impair the enlargement of muscle in response to

in satellite cell number, ability to incorporate new myonuclei or the levels of myogenic or apoptotic factors that are responsible for hypertrophy. Even a short-term intensive

masters athletes.

B cell development in aging mice: Lessons from mathematical modeling

G. Shahaf and R. Mehr

The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences Bar-Ilan University Ramat-Gan IsraelThe Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel

Introduction

The immune systemʼs function deteriorates with age.Previous studies have not completely clarified the precisedefect(s) that characterize B cells development in agedanimals. The question of which developmental mechanism isactually damaged in aging remains controversial.

The goal of this study was to elucidate the effects of aging on

BA

f lab

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cel

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Results (1): with the model as is. A - young mice; B - old mice.

- pro-B cells; - pre-B cells; - immature B cells.

The goal of this study was to elucidate the effects of aging onbone marrow B cell population dynamics. We usedmathematical modeling to predict the outcome of the differentpossible effects, and then compared these predictions toexperimental data, to find the most plausible effects.

Our model shows that the main three differences betweenyoung and old mice are in the rate of transition from cyclingpre B cells to resting pre B cells, the carrying capacity of thebone marrow for pre-B cells, and the fractions of static (non-developing) cells included in the immature B cell subset.

Fra

ctio

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Simulation steps from the start of labeling

Results (2): A Simulation of the best fit model, with a certain number of static cells in the immature B cell compartment.A - young mice; B - old mice.

- pro-B cells; - pre-B cells; - immature B cells.

A BAim: To discover which parameter(s) of the developmentalprocess change with age.

Methodology: Fit the mathematical model of B cellpopulation dynamics to data from P. Witteʼs group (Johnsonet al., Int. Immunol. 14:1313-23, 2002.)

Model with labeling of dividing cells::

A B

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Simulation steps from the start of labeling

Immaure BPre-BPro-Bsebset:

cyclingRestingcyclingResting

1-10Entry rate(10*4)

0.9-1.30.3-1.4Proliferation rate

5.3-5.52-3Carring capacity(10*6)

0.05-0.20.1-10-1Death rate

0.01-0.10.5-1.20.2-0.250.1-0.30.1-1Output rate

0-0.19Regression rate

1static cells(10*6)

1-10Entry rate(10*4)

0.5-1.20.1-1.4Proliferation rate

3.5-42.4-3Carring capacity(10*6)

0 05 0 20 1 10 1Death rate

Young mice

Old mice

Parameters:

Equations (labeling not shown):

•dBor /dt = s - o o Bor

•dBoc /dt = orBor + o[1-(Bor + Boc)/Ko] Boc ocBoc

•dBec /dt = ocBoc + e[1-(Ber + Bec)/Ke] Bec ecBec

dB /d B )B B

Conclusions and discussion:The main three differences between young and old mice are:The rate of transition from cycling pre-B cells to resting pre-B cells is higher in old

mice than in young mice. As the animal gets older, there probabilitythat any given cell will stop proliferating may increase, due toaccumulation of genetic defects. This assumption is in line withconclusions of previous studies on T cells (Mehr et al).

The carrying capacity of the pre-B cells subpopulation is lower in old mice than inyoung mice. This suggests that the space and resources, such as

0.05-0.20.1-10-1Death rate

0.05-0.20.5-1.20.3-0.40.1-0.30.1-1Output rate

0-0.19Regression rate

5static cells(10*6)

•dBer /dt = ecBec e er)Ber + re Bi

•dBi /dt = erBer i i)Bi - re Bi

young mice. This suggests that the space and resources, such ascontact with the bone marrow stroma, the availability of growth factorsand nutrients, are lower in old animals.

The fraction of static cells included in the immature-B cells subset is higher in oldmice than in young mice. Immature B Cell longevity may increase inage because those cells have some signaling defect in the apoptoticsignaling pathways. This age-related defect would lead to fewerimmature-B Cell that are sensitive to selection against self-antigen,which would increase the production of both auto-reactive andfunctionally defective B cells.

Social capital covers different characteristics such as social networks, social participation, social support, social cohesion, attitudes and trust. The definition by Robert Putnam (2000) is commonly adopted within health research, suggesting that networks of civic engagement foster trust needed for cooperation and coordinated actions. Although an underlying assumption is that social capital is good for mental well-being, little research has been conducted on establishing the associations and mechanisms between social capital and mental well-being, particularly among older people.

•The results will be disseminated through national and international publications, seminars and conferences •Results will help us to provide models on how to promote mental well-being in an ageing population •The multidisciplinary research group will generate new knowledge on socio-environmental and health factors related to well-being in older people

This study analyses data from four different studies: Gerontological Regional Database and Resource Centre project (GERDA) web.novia.fi/gerda Western Finland Mental Health Survey

www.thl.fi/mthenkat Collaborative Research on Ageing in Europe (COURAGE) www.courageproject.eu European Social Survey (ESS) www.europeansocialsurvey.org

Figure 2. Map of regions included in the GERDA project.

Aims

Significance and use of expected results

Social capital, loneliness and mental well-being in an ageing population: social inequalities

Fredrica Nyqvist1

Mima Cattan2, Yngve Gustafson3

1 Mental Health Promotion Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Vaasa, Finland, 2 Northumbria University, School of Health, Community and Education Studies, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, 3 Umeå University, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Umeå, Sweden

Background

Data

Indicators to be analysed

•Social capital e.g. social participation, social networks and support, trust, political participation •Feelings of loneliness •Self-rated health •Mental well-being e.g. sense of mastery, happiness, satisfaction with life •Mental health e.g. depressive symptoms •Functional and cognitive limitations

Correspondence to fredrica.nyqvist@thl.fi

1. To describe the distribution of social capital according to

different socio-demographic variables such as ethnicity, gender, age and socioeconomic status

2. To explore whether social capital contributes to mental well-being in an ageing population either independently or in interaction with other key socio-demographic variables

3. To investigate the influence of loneliness as one mechanism that governs the association between social capital and mental well-being

Social Policy

Medicine Public Health

Ste

p A

Systematic review of studies measuring social capital and mental well-being (submitted)

Ste

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The distribution of social capital in vulnerable groups. The association between social capital and mental well-being

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Loneliness as a possible mechanism between social capital and mental well-being

Res

ults

A-C

Intervention models for targeting mental well-being in later life

Figure 3. A multidisciplinary research group.

Figure 1. Description of study steps.

Frailty and Healthy Ageing StrategiesFrailty and Healthy Ageing Strategies

Which Role for Social Policy?Which Role for Social Policy?

Summary

The FRESH project (Frailty Research in Economics, Society, and Health) aims to promote a newand comprehensive approach to analyse dependency in old-age. Frailty depicts a state ofvulnerability to adverse health outcomes within a disablement process. Some individualsbecome frail, which means that the same health shocks from which non-frail individuals recovercan have lasting consequences on them, starting a process of functional disability anddependence Moving back from dependency into autonomy can be almost impossible and the

Nicolas Sirven

Research Fellow

ERA-AGE2 – FLARE2 Post-Doctoral Fellowship

dependence. Moving back from dependency into autonomy can be almost impossible and theprocess can therefore be described as a disability trap. Since the costs of dependency are veryhigh, it is important to look for ways to prevent such a process and protect frail individualsfrom potentially harmful health shocks.

Project OrganisationAdapting tools from vulnerability analysis in development economics, the FRESH

SOLIDAGE (U. McGill & U. de Montréal, Québec, CA)

& IUMSP (U.Lausanne, SW)

Institute for Research and Information on Health

Economics IRDES – 10, rue

Vauvenargues. 75018 Paris development economics, the FRESH project's objectives are two-fold: the first one is to develop an economic framework for studying the concept, measures and costs of frailty; the second one is to identify the determinants of frailty in the general population. The FRESH project relies on previous work using SHARE data that developed and

Vauvenargues. 750 8 Paris(FR)

sirven@irdes.fr

using SHARE data that developed and validated a medical-based frailty instrument, where frailty is considered as a reversible precursor of functional dependency. Extension to the cognitive dimension and exploration of the individual characteristics (social and economicvariables in panel data and life historiessettings) and system features (social

Rationale for Phase 1 (2011-2012)

settings) and system features (social security, etc.) in a cross-country setting are promising ways of research.

1.Population ageing puts tension on EU Welfare States regimes

Two major economic issues for Social Protection Systems- Financing [Pensions]: retirement age + [LTC]: individual (compulsory) insurance at 50+ - Funding Decline in cognitive + physiologic reserve Focus on prevention/ health promotion

2.Development of strategies to promote autonomy

“E t ” t t i f t th t f Ph i l F ilt (F i d t l 2001)“Ex-ante” strategies refer to the concept of Physical Frailty (Fried et al, 2001)- Predicts negative outcomes (falls, disability, dependency, hospitalisation, institutionalisation, death)- Allows for reversible pathways Frailty = Vulnerability to health shocks (=Risk/Coping capacity)

3.Medical hegemony

The use of the frailty concept dedicates an important role to the medical approach- Geriatrics/Gerontology: Generalised prevention – Frailty as geriatric syndrom (indiv. marker)Geriatrics/Gerontology: Generalised prevention Frailty as geriatric syndrom (indiv. marker)- Public health: General health promotion – Frailty as health marker in the general population

4.Is there room for social policy?

Contribution: On the socio-economic determinants of the frailty process (stocks & flows)Method: Panel models using individual survey data from SHARE www.share-project.org

The moral economy of the third age Why governments encouraging

productivity in old age are unpopular

Kathrin Komp, PhD • Department of Sociology • Umeå University • Sweden • kathrin.komp@soc.umu.se

For more information, see Kathrin Komp’s homepage http://www.kathrin-komp.eu

The homepage of the conference ”Ageing in the light of crises: Economic

crisis, demographic change, and the search for meaning” http://www.eventus.trippus.se/crisis2012

Old age increasingly takes on the character of a problem again. However, we will still see tensions in society and in policy making for decades because of the positive images and moral ideas surrounding the third age.

Key concepts • Moral ideas: tell us which behaviors are justified and which are unjustified • Moral economy: states that moral ideas guide social interactions and shape institutions, e.g. families, markets, and welfare states • Third age = healthy life years after retirement

Basic idea Demographic structures change faster than moral ideas about population groups. The third age, e.g., has been expanding for a long time, while the public image of old age only slowly shifted from a problem- to an activity-centered one. Policy-makers who encourage older people to be active, e.g. through delayed retirement or volunteering, often encounter opposition, partly because of persevering moral ideas that older people need protection.

Example: Changing ideas of old age

(data on European countries, from ESS 2006; Eurostat 2012; WHO 2012)

As the third age expands, the older population becomes more heterogeneous, and ideas of when men should retire become more diverse.

Economic crisis and populaton ageing further change the character of old age. They tie the image of old age closer to the idea of a problem again. Moreover, they will lead to a shrinkage, possibly even disappearance, of the third age.

Development of the life-course The life-course used to be split into three phases: youth, middle-age and old age, with the latter representing the time after retirement. When people retired earlier and the healthy life-expectancy increased, old age was further split into the third age (retirement years in good health) and the fourth age (retirement years in poor health). Due to the current trend towards later retirement, the third age might disappear again in the future.

So what? • Third age probably is a transitory phenomenon: emerged and will disappear again • Policy-makers deal with today’s demographic situation, while having to ”sell” it according to yesterday’s moral standards • Policies encourage productivity in old age (”third age policies”) will only become popular when the third age is already disappearing again • Tensions in society and policy-making partly result from a time lag in moral development

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Increase in years spent as third-ager 2000-2007

Ideal age for a man to retire permanently

GERONTOLOGY RESEARCH CENTER AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Are psychosocial symptoms and self-rated health

early and shared risk factors for physical disability and cognitive decline in old age?

Jenni Kulmala1, Taina Rantanen1, Miia Kivipelto2,3

1Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

2 Karolinska Institutet, Aging Research Centre, Stockholm , Sweden 3 Department of Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Dementia and cognitive disorders, as well and decline in physical functioning, are major public health concerns and their impact is increasing in aging population. The aim of this study is to investi-gate whether similar early signs leading to cognitive decline also precede physical decline and disability in old age. Traditionally these research areas have been distinct. This multidisciplinary study focuses on self-rated health, depres-sion, stress and psychosocial symptoms in mid life as predictors of physical and cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s dis-ease in old age. In addition to studying each predictor variable separately, the goal is also to investigate different combinations of psychosomatic symptoms and negative reactions to work as pre-dictors of health decline. That approach will show which combi-nations of these symptoms have the most detrimental effect on health outcomes in old age.

SPECIFIC RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Are stress symptoms in midlife associated with cognitive de-cline or physical disability in old age?

Are negative motivational reactions to work in midlife associ-ated with adverse health outcomes in old age?

Does poor self-rated health or fitness earlier in life predict physical disability or dementia in old age?

Are stressful life events accelerating the process of cognitive decline?

SUBJECTS Two existing datasets from Gerontology Research Centre, University of Jyväskylä, Finland and from Aging Research Centre, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, will be used for conducting the study. Also addi-tional data from the University from Eastern Finland, school of phar-macy, will be used in conducting the research. The datasets, which consist of follow-ups up to 34 years are unique and few world-wide. 1. The follow-up study on Finnish municipality workers (FLAME)

(Collaboration between University of Jyväskylä and Finnish Insti-tute of Occupational Health) N=6257

1. Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE)

study (Collaboration between the Aging Research Centre, Karolin-ska Institutet, Stockholm Sweden, Department of Neurology, Uni-versity of Eastern Finland, Kuopio and National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki) N=2000

METHODS Data include information about work, work ability, health, medical history, somatic and psychosocial symptoms, work strain, stress, lifes-tyle and leisure-time activities in midlife and information about cog-nitive and physical functioning in old age.The statistical methods ap-propriate to analyze prospective cohort studies will be used to analyze the data. Mortality as a competing factor will be taken into account.

RESULTS AND REPORTING The post-doc research will consist of original articles, which will be published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. Addition-ally, the results will be presented in national and international confer-ences during 2011-2014.

IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study will increase the knowledge of risk factors for cognitive dysfunction and physical disability in old age. Combining thus far separate research areas (work, lifestyle and psychosomatic and depressive symptoms in mid-life with aging and cognitive and physical decline), will produce new expertise in a field of life course influences on wellbeing in old age. In terms of scientific relevance, the project will provide new results and insights to the understanding of the process of aging and development of cognitive disorders. In terms of research infrastructure, the project will strengthen the competence in aging research through collaborative work.

Contact information: jenni.kulmala@jyu.fi

WHY? With the percentage of older people in the population constantly increasing and the number of cars per inhabitant rapidly growing, the proportion of older drivers is likewise on the rise in Europe today. The project recognizes that car travel enables older drivers to continue leading active, mobile lives but requires skills and abilities that they may be losing or lacking.

HOW? Observations and findings in the project are based on audio- and video-recorded materials of voluntary post-licence driver training that took place in real traffic in real time. The materials were collected by Professor Heikki Summala and his team at the Traffic Research Unit, University of Helsinki, Finland (www.helsinki.fi/tru). The volunteers are older (aged 59–70 years) women who acquired their driving licences decades ago but who have not driven a car for years and have little driving experience overall.

WHAT? Through detailed examination of the materials, the project considers how older drivers conduct themselves, in interaction with their co-participants, in the complex, confined space of a moving car. It explores the following, partly interconnected research themes:

Mirka Rauniomaa FLARE2 Associate Fellow, Postdoctoral Researcher Faculty of Humanities, University of Oulu, Finland

BACK BEHIND THE WHEEL Social-interactional perspectives on older drivers and driver education

If you have any questions or comments concerning this poster and the project Back behind the wheel: Social-interactional perspectives on older drivers and driver education, please contact mirka.rauniomaa@oulu.fi.

Ageing and interaction How do older drivers use language and their body when engaging in interaction with their co-participants in cars? What kind of interactional practices do they use for accomplishing social actions and what kind of vocal, bodily and material resources do they draw on to do so? What purposes do these practices and resources serve for older drivers? What kind of a role does participants' age and ageing play in their interactions?

Use of car technology How do older drivers manage the use of a car and the numerous technical devices that may be involved? How do they organize the activity of driving and cope with being on the move? How do they deal with the difficulties that may arise or pre-empt potential difficulties? How do they make explicit what it is that hinders or facilitates their driving? How are their co-participants involved in the activity of driving and the overall use of technology?

Learning at an older age What kind of learning processes take place during a single training session and across several sessions as older drivers participate in voluntary post-licence driver education? Are there any particular challenges that older drivers face when learning (or re-learning) how to drive? In what ways do older drivers and their instructors contribute to learning? How do older drivers view and present themselves as learners?

Considering the research themes and answering the proposed research questions bring about new perspectives on ageing research. The project draws on and contributes to several fields of study, including research on language and social interaction, driving and traffic safety, use of technology and learning. It provides empirical observations and findings about the everyday lives of older members of society, which can be applied to practical concerns and taken into account and developed further in subsequent research. The project is best sited in an international and interdisciplinary environment that fosters ongoing and far-reaching communication between researchers, educators, policy makers and practitioners—an environment such as FLARE: Future Leaders of Ageing Research.

Microsoft Office Clip Art and Media Library

About FLARE

FLARE is the fi rst European programme on ageing research funded by the Member States themselves.

FLARE has two innovative features: part of the fel-lowship must be spent in another country and involve a cross-disciplinary collaboration. These novel fea-tures refl ect the strong scientifi c consensus in ERA-AGE meetings on the need to develop a multi-disci-plinary approach to ageing research and also a Euro-pean networking in this area. Another key priority for both scientists and end users is the support of the next generation of researchers on ageing, hence the title, ‘Future Leaders of Ageing Research in Europe’ (FLARE).

The fi rst pilot project - FLARE 1 - was launched in February 2007 when the joint programme provided eighteen 3 year post-doctoral fellowships for recently qualifi ed scientists.

The second call - FLARE 2 - was launched in 2010 and is now closed. In August 2011 the fi nal results from the FLARE 2 funding call were announced, with the successful award of fi fteen fellowships.

For more information about the FLARE programme, profi les of FLARE 1 Fellows and documents from Summer Schools please visit http://www.era-age.group.shef.ac.uk/fl are.html

FLARE Summer Schools

Four FLARE Summer Schools have taken place since the inception of the programme:

June 2008 - Orenas Castle, Sweden, hosted by FAS, Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research

September 2010 - Varna, Bulgaria, hosted by Institute of Population and Human Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

September 2011 - San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain, hosted by MICINN, the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science

August 2012 - Galway, Ireland, hosted by NUI Galway.

The photographs on these pages highlight some moments from all four Summer Schools.

FLARE 1 Fellows with colleagues (2008)

FLARE 1 Fellows meet again in Bulgaria (2010)

Group discussions in Bulgaria (2010)

FLARE Fellows on the cutting edge (2008)

Our hosts at the Institute of Population and Human Research (2010)

The beautiful Spanish weather was a highlight for all attendees (2011)

FLARE 1 and FLARE 2 Fellows join together in Spain (2011)

Keeping cool while waiting to travel home (2011)

Some rare Irish sunshine shining in on the FLARE 2012 Summer School (2012)

Healthy living for healthy ageing (2012)

The small group discussions provoke friendly debate (2012)

ERA-AGE 2 Network Steering Committee

The Austrian Academy of ScienceChristina BonoraAustria

Bulgarian Academy of ScienceBojimir DavidovBulgaria

Canadian Institutes of Health Research – Institute of AgeingYves JoanetteMichelle PeelCanada

Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du QuébecAnne-Cecile DesfaitsQuébec, Canada

Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs/The Ministry of Labour and Social AffairsLucie VidovićováCzech Republic

The Academy of FinlandMikael FogelholmAnu NuutinenFinland

University of TampereMarja Jylha (Chair)Finland

Caisse Nationale d’Assurance VieillesseAlain RozenkierMichel TuchmanFrance

Projekttager des BMBF im DLR (Observer)Wolfgang Ballensiefen Germany

Saxon State Ministry of Social AffairsVolker Kohn Saxony, Germany

Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI)Roger O’SullivanIreland

Israeli Ministry of HealthBenny LeshemIrit AllonIsrael

Istituto Superiore Di SanitaClaudia GandinEmanuale ScafatoItaly

Latvijas Zinatnes PadomeUldis BerkisIveta OzolantaLatvia

Mykolas Romeris UniversitySarmite MikulionieneVida KanopieneLithuania

Fonds National De La RechercheSusanne RickLuxembourg

Ministry of HealthMihail CoculescuGabriel PradaRomania

UEFISCDIAurelia CurajRomania

Ministerio de Economía y CompetitividadAnibal GonzalezSpain

The Swedish Council for Working Life and Social ResearchKenneth AbrahamssonKerstin CarsjoSweden

University of Sheffi eld(Coordinator)Alan WalkerU.K.

The University of Sheffi eld ERA-AGE Coordination TeamAlan WalkerProject Director

Juliet Craig Senior Research Manager

Contact details: The University of Sheffi eldDepartment of Sociological StudiesNorthumberland RoadSheffi eld, S10 2TU, UK

Tel: +44 ((0) 114 222 6458Fax: +44 (0) 114 276 8125Email: era-age@sheffi eld.ac.ukWeb: www.era-age.group.shef.ac.uk

Funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme

FP7-ERA-NET-2008-RTD/No 235356