'Age-friendly communities: a journey toward wellbeing': a public lecture by Stephen Neville
| Date: | Tuesday 6 Aug, 4:30pm - 5:30pm |
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| Location: | AUT City Campus WA Building, WA Conference Centre Auckland New Zealand |
Inaugural professorial address by Stephen Neville
Population ageing is a major force influencing central and local government policy. Increasing numbers of older people are living in our communities. Consequently, communities need to adapt their structures and services to be responsive to the physical and social needs of older groups. In other words, ensuring communities are agefriendly. Age-friendly communities encourage active ageing by providing opportunities to help optimise older people’s health, their participation in the community and their sense of security. These sorts of opportunities create age-friendly communities forging the path toward wellbeing.
Professor Stephen Neville is a nurse and social gerontologist whose work focusses on ensuring communities are appropriate and safe places for older people to age in, also referred to as age-friendly communities.
This inaugural professorial address traces the development of Stephen’s research platform, highlighting key milestones and influences that have led to his appointment as Professor of Wellbeing and Ageing.
Age-friendly communities are a central theme guiding the work of the AUT Centre for Active Ageing. Stephen will outline key projects from the Centre that have influenced age-friendly policy and practice. This includes challenging contemporary stereotypical ageist views of being older as a time of dependency, frailty and reduced cognition. Stephen will further debate on how ageism negatively impacts on wellbeing in all older groups.
Stephen grew up in Christchurch and as a young naive 17-year-old started his career as a student nurse. He has worked in a variety of nursing roles across the education and health sectors. He is currently Head of Department for Nursing and Co-director of the AUT Centre for Active Ageing. In addition he holds a number of national and international leadership positions.