Festival of Social Science 2024

Simmonds, B. (Participant)

Department of Geography & Earth Sciences

Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Festival or Exhibition

Description

Bethany answered questions about how we can improve the care of older people, and digital exclusion in later life.

Period	01 Nov 2024
Event type	Festival
Degree of Recognition	National

Keywords

Ageism

Documents & Links

Dr Bethany Simmonds is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead for Sociology at the University of Aberystwyth and a Visiting Fellow at the Centre of Death and Society with nearly twenty years’ experience and expertise in researching age and ageism, particularly in health and social care settings. In her recent research, she discusses how some health care decisions on whether to give treatment, particularly during the first wave of the pandemic, were based on age rather than whether someone was healthy, or likely to survive. But a lack of dignity and care for older people has been a problem for decades in the UK. Because of the changes to the health and social care system and austerity measures, decisions for older people’s care are often based on cost rather than need. So if you have any questions about how we can improve the care of older people, please ask Bethany. Bethany is also interested in answering any questions on digital exclusion in later life, which again have been highlighted since COVID-19. She would like to hear how digitally accessing art and creative activities, volunteering, paid work, banking services, benefits, pensions and other everyday services could be made more accessible for older people? Please get in touch with any suggestions or questions for Bethany, please Ask Her Anything!