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The Open University

 

Faculty of Health & Social Care

The Oldest Generation: events, relationships and identities in later life

Prof. Joanna Bornat, The Open University, Project Director

Dr. Bill Bytheway, The Open University, Project Co-Investigator

Karen Francis, The Open University, Project Secretary

 

Introduction

Traditional opinions of intergenerational relationships, rights and responsibilities are changing.

The Oldest Generation project is concerned with the dynamic nature of older people's relationships and identities. Our aim is to explore how and why certain family relationships endure or change over time, and how these processes affect the lives of members of the oldest generation.

In particular we are focusing on the marking of relationships and identities among the oldest generation through key celebrations such as birthdays, life-changing events such as births and deaths and life transitions such as migration or moving house.

This is Project 7 of Timescapes, the first major qualitative longitudinal study to be funded in the UK.

Navigate to our TOG audio download on the OU itunes site: www.open.ac.uk/itunes and click on our link under OU Research.

The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302)