In our series of international seminars discussing ‘A Research Agenda for Ageing and Social Policy‘ this online event highlighted another two key issues of ageing and social policy - the ageing workforce in times of digitalization and shifting social relations and family patterns connected to population ageing.
Anette Scoppetta and Maria Varlamova explored the transformation of labour markets in the context of digitalisation processes and its impact on the ageing workforce. Both at company level and through labour market policies, they argued, it is necessary to create age-appropriate and age-inclusive work and learning environments that enable lifelong learning and extended working lives – with ample space for research to provide evidence on what works under which circumstances.
Toni Antonucci, Jasmine Manalel and Martha Bial highlighted the consequences of changing social relations, especially family relations, throughout life and how social policies should be designed to better support families in coping with salient challenges, namely, in the context of migration and ageing-related mental health issues, that need to be tackled by appropriate social policies and research.
Speakers:
Anette Scoppetta is Deputy Director of the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna, Austria. Her expertise comprises labour market and social policies and, in more detail, social inclusion, social change processes, employment partnerships, social innovation and regional economic development. As senior researcher, she has led and contributed to many Austrian and European projects, especially supporting EU-level policy making in employment.
Laura Naegele leads the junior research group ‘Competence management of older workers in digitized learning environments (BeKomIng Digital)’ at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), Bonn, Germany. Her research focuses on age-management measurements, compe- tence development of ageing workforces, digital learning environments and ageism in the labour market.
Maria Varlamova, based at the Institute of Sociology, Jagiellonian University Krakow, Poland, is an expert in social analysis and public policy, specializing in population ageing research. She has extensive experience in analysing human capital quality, intergenerational relationships and social protection. Currently a doctoral candidate at Jagiellonian University, she is furthering her research into ageing and labour market inequalities. She collaborates with the WHO and UNECE, contributing to the development of indicators, meta- data and guidelines for active and healthy ageing and age-friendly cities and communities.
Toni C. Antonucci is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Life Course Development Program at the University of Michigan, USA. Her research focuses on social relations and health (physical/psychological/cognitive) across the lifespan. She has conducted comparative studies on social relations and health in the United States, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East and Japan. She is a member of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatics’ United Nations team.
Robin C. Fenley is Adjunct Professor of Social Policy at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service in New York City, USA. A social gerontol- ogist at community and governmental levels, she co-led NYC’s first informal caregiver survey and developed programmes for dementia, caregiving, elder abuse prevention, long-term care. She chairs the NY Committee on Ageing Subcommittee on Older Women, is a member of the International Association of Gerontology & Geriatrics and INPEA, and chaired New York’s 2022 UN International Day of Older Persons.
Jasmine A. Manalel is Senior Research Associate at the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging at Hunter College in New York City, USA. She is a develop- mental psychologist whose research interests include close relationships and health across the lifespan, informal caregiving, and ageing with HIV/AIDS. She is a member of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatics’ United Nations team.
Martha C. Bial, PhD, is a Faculty Research Scholar at the Ravazzin Center on Aging at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service in New York City, USA. She teaches social policy and social work practice with older adults and their families. She represents the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) at the United Nations and is an officer of the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York. She was a practitioner, supervisor and consultant in the field of ageing for 25 years.
