UK
The Future of Ageing 2017: Transforming Tomorrow Today – 29th November 2017
Time for Transformation, a new ‘normal’ – where society has aligned and adapted to the fact we are living longer.
The world is going through turbulent times. But one thing is certain – it is getting older.
ILC-UK has been active for 16 years and have witnessed some significant change over this time. Yet progress has been far too slow and we are still talking about issues which should have been solved 10 years ago.
This conference will aim to reinvigorate those of us already convinced of the importance of ageing. But to achieve the transformation we need must reach beyond the usual suspects. We need businesses, entrepreneurs, people managers, and marketing professionals to work with the charity sector and policy makers and politicians to deliver change. And we need to help provide the evidence to make the case for action.
Our third conference will seek to kick-start that transformation. It won’t be a run of the mill “ageing” conference. It will be different. We will challenge and energise you. We want the conference to lead to change.
If we are to make the most of the opportunity of age we need to engage businesses and community leaders to act.
We want everyone to come away learning something new and with a plan to act. We will set the groundwork to inspire and support government, business and voluntary organisations to better prepare, adapt and prosper in a longer-lived society. The conference will reach new businesses and other stakeholders.
You will disagree with some of what our presenters have to say. That’s fine, the Future of Ageing Conference is a place to have these honest debates. And you will get the opportunity to have your say.
The Future of Ageing Conference will
- be brave enough to have the honest conversations we need to have
- convene experts and innovators
- challenge our own prejudices and yours
- debate some of the big issues
- avoid stereotyping. We won’t let people generalise about older or younger people or even about cohorts. Saying “The baby boomers X” will be banned.
- debating the evidence rather than present it
- avoid “the ageing Cliché”
- try and cause mischief and have some fun
- invite unexpected contributors to talk about the big and familiar issues
- challenge every speaker
- Insist speakers focus on the transforming tomorrow today
But we won’t…
- repeat what people already know. Before the conference delegates will get a short factpack setting out the evidence
- allow presenters to show us showing population pyramids (we all know we are ageing)
- pretend that ageing is always good and that old age is always the best time of our lives. Too many older people spend too much of their time alone, in poor health, with only the TV for company
- let people say “The fact we are living longer is a good thing”. It doesn’t need to be said. And it undermines the fact that for too many people today, old age isn’t a good or happy time
- try to sex up ageing or pretend there are simple solutions
- let anyone use imagery of older people’s hands in their presentation. And we won’t have any smiling studio shots of older people on the beach
