Ingmar Skoog
Göteborgs universitet
Sweden
Forte-centre Ageing and health: Center for capability in aging (AGECAP) from genes to society
Forte, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare
5,440,696
01/12/2013
10.0
Alzheimer's disease & other dementias|Neurodegenerative disease in general
The overall aim of the center is to perform coordinated studies of capability in aging. Capability refers to the individuals ability to perform actions in order to reach goals he or she has reason to value. Our theoretical framework is that interactions among macro, meso, and individual factors forms the basis for the individual capability set. The macrolevel refers to laws and regulations that affect pensions, social security, labour market, home care, and health care. The mesolevel refers to the context in which the daily life is embedded, e.g. socioeconomic, family life, social networks, caring facilities and obligations, health care and work. Individual factors (microlevel) include genetic predispositions, neurobiology, personality, somatic, mental/cognitive health, life style and human capital (e.g education, acquired work skills, earning capacity). The center will conduct multidisciplinary studies and educational activities by bringing together researchers from medicine, psychology, social and health sciences for joint projects( JPs) focusing on determinants of stability and change of capability. Initially planned JPs will be based on quantitative and qualitative methods and include projects focusing on secular changes, physical, cognitive and mental health, neurohealth, work and retirement, fraility, and self-determination. Researchers at the center and their networks already have access to major population-based longitudinal data bases. The plan is to launch new intervention studies and longitudinal studies of new cohorts that allow us to cover the entire age span from 50 to over 100 years. Knowledge gathered through the center will have broad applications ranging from political decision-making to individual well-being. The center will also foster young researchers in multidisciplinary aging research. The ultimate goal is to strengthen older peoples capability to make choices that improves overall wellbeing and participation in society.