The initiative, organised by the Collaborative Older Adults Research Network (COARN), brought together local residents and key regional organisations. The workshop aimed to ensure that future academic work directly addresses the priorities of older adults in their daily lives.
Co-led by Dr Dan Hayman and Dr Lucie Nield, the event provided a platform for open dialogue on the experiences of growing older. Participants discussed societal perceptions, the physical realities of ageing, and key areas for improvement to foster healthier and more fulfilling lives.
“"The workshop was an excellent example of how social and lab-based ageing researchers can work together to learn from people who have lived experience of ageing. The opinions shared with us will be used to inform future research into healthy ageing and keep us connected to the communities our research aims to serve."
Representatives from groups such as Sheffield 50+, Age UK, and U3A contributed to the discussions, helping to align research goals with existing community support networks.
The proceedings were captured in real-time by Studio Noodle, a live-drawing company. Their illustrations translated the discussions into visual guidelines, making complex ideas accessible and synthesising the collaborative input.
“"This was a great opportunity to reawaken the network and provide future research direction for those of us working across the South Yorkshire region and beyond. Transdisciplinary research networks such as COARN which include the voice of people with lived experience are invaluable in promoting implementable research and lead to real world changes to policy and practice."
The findings and artwork generated are expected to have a lasting impact on the field of healthy ageing research. The illustrations created by Studio Noodle will be distributed to researchers and charities to guide future work based on the priorities of older adults.
Individuals interested in participating in COARN, whether as academics, professionals, or those with lived experience, can contact d.j.hayman@sheffield.ac.uk or l.nield@sheffield.ac.uk. The live drawings from the workshop are available below.
