MSP praises Uni research

Stirling’s MSP last week hosted a reception celebrating a piece of Stirling University-led research.

He was marking the release of a study ‘A Good Life in Later Years’, which was led by the university’s social sciences department in collaboration with Age Scotland.

The research was funded with a grant of £97,000 from the Life Changes Trust and involved older people who are subjects of the study.

As part of the project community researchers aged between 50 and 84 were engaged in carrying out their own research and analysis of Scotland’s older people and what they thought constituted a good quality life.

Thirty community researchers were recruited from five areas across the country, including Stirling.

Bruce Crawford MSP said: “Listening to what older people have to say about what makes a good quality of life in later years has resulted in a provoking series of conclusions that could now help shape how we approach health and wellbeing for older people in certain areas.

“One of the key findings, the importance of being part of a community, highlights all too well the fears of loneliness and isolation that many people of older generations may have.

“Indeed, I understand that almost all participants of this study identified this as a primary concern.

“I was delighted to host this event in Parliament to mark the hard work that went into producing this report and it was fantastic to meet some of the researchers and hear firsthand their thoughts on their findings.”