The future of ageing
Current Project
Current in-depth inquiry
This inquiry is exploring ethical questions in relation to the role of science and technology in helping people live well in old age.
What does it mean to ‘live well’ in older age?
This question sits at the heart of our project on the future of ageing.
There is growing interest around how biomedical research and technological innovation can support people to live well in old age, and help society respond appropriately to an increasingly ageing population.
Developments in these areas are vast, and include both assistive and communications technologies, and geroscience research. These advancements offer scope for important future benefits for individuals and for wider society; however, they also raise significant ethical questions. Our working group has been exploring these questions.
We are delighted to share the findings and outcomes of the conversations that took place at our engagement workshops and our public dialogue, in the run up to the launch of our official report in early 2023:

Public dialogue
We commissioned a deliberative public dialogue to help us to ensure that we are advocating policy changes that are ethical, rational, informed and inclusive of public views and values.
FIND OUT WHAT WE HEARD

Online workshop with members of the Bristol Older People’s Forum
We joined with members of the Bristol Older People’s Forum for a creative online drawing workshop, which focused on how science and technology and support people to have a good, or bad, older age.
Following the workshop, using key themes raised by Forum members' drawings, a summary cartoon 'Alice in Tech-Land' was created.
BRISTOL OLDER PEOPLE’S FORUM

Open forum with the Greater Manchester Older People’s Network
This engaging online event included special poetry and music performances to encourage discussions on issues such as what the future of ‘living well’ in older age might ‘look like’.
A broadcast bringing together the participants' discussions was aired on Sonder Radio.
GREATER MANCHESTER OLDER PEOPLE’S NETWORK & SONDER RADIO
Workshop with West Bromwich African Caribbean Resource Centre
This workshop, invited older members of the West Bromwich African Caribbean Resource Centre to share their opinions on health and wellbeing technologies.
Following the focus group, we shared a blog highlighting the key themes from the discussions that took place.
WEST BROMWICH AFRICAN CARIBBEAN RESOURCE CENTRE

Intergenerational roundtable event in Exeter
The intergenerational roundtable event involved a diverse, intergenerational group of 41 participants between the ages of 16 and 70 years.
The event was split into two key discussions on the roles of both technology, and biomedicine (geroscience), in healthy ageing.
INTERGENERATIONAL ROUNDTABLE EVENT IN EXETER

Workshop with Greater Manchester Growing Older with Learning Disabilities
Older adults with learning disabilities took part in this workshop exploring how health and wellbeing technologies can support people in later life, and values in older age.
Following the workshop, we shared a blog highlighting 'dream machines' that people created based on the discussions.
GREATER MANCHESTER GROWING OLDER WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
Project team
Molly is a Project Manager at the Nuffield Council on Bioethics. Prior to this she was a Researcher, Bioethics and Policy at the Council and before that worked in both NHS clinical research and academic research in the field of breast cancer at Imperial College London. She has a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Reproductive Science and Women's Health.