South Africa: UCT Hosts Conference On Ageing in Place

The programme also showcased innovative technological projects that explored the potential of avatar-mediated communication between age groups and humanoid robotics, with scholars exploring how these technological approaches can support older persons, strengthen care and improve connections between generations.

"The discussions were frank, the early-career presentations were outstanding, and several new collaborations began over the course of the week." Together, these diverse areas of research demonstrated that questions around ageing and care extend well beyond any single discipline or country.

And although the approaches differed, the presentations were connected by broader questions about how care is organized and what infrastructure is needed as populations age. Researchers shared projects from various countries and contexts, highlighting that ageing in place can look very different depending on the social, economic, health and community systems available to older persons.

These exchanges brought attention to questions on how older persons' well-being and ability to remain within their communities intersect with family relationships, health and disability, technology, gender and economic circumstances. This international perspective was one of the strengths of the meeting as it created opportunities to learn how other countries approach ageing, care and support, while also reflecting on how these approaches compare with experiences in South Africa.

A local perspective A South African perspective was central to the programme, with Ikamva Labantu delivering opening remarks on "Ageing in place: A view from the ground in South Africa". The organisation has been a pioneer in the community for over 60 years and radiate empowerment and transformation through innovative solutions.

This brought local experiences and realities into conversation with international perspectives represented at the meeting. "Partnering with UCT for the IARU conference provided a vital platform to ground global discussions on 'Ageing in Place' in South Africa's township lived realities," said Lulama Sigasana, programme manager (Older Persons) at Ikamva Labantu.

"For over six decades, Ikamva Labantu has pioneered dignified, community-led care solutions created for the community, by the community. We hope this dialogue inspires deeper collaboration between academic research and on-the-ground action to uplift our older generations." Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox There was also an institutional spotlight looking at ageing in place in Southern Africa where Zeenat Samodien and Dr Jesman Chintsanya from the Family Caregiving Programme shared their work, highlighting research in Namibia, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa.

Together, these contributions from Ikamva Labantu and the programme situated experiences from South Africa and the wider Southern African region within the broader international conversation about ageing in place. For UCT's Family Caregiving Programme, hosting the annual IARU ALH meeting was therefore not only an opportunity to showcase research taking place at the university, country and region, but also to strengthen connections between researchers working on ageing across different countries and disciplines.

The conference demonstrated the value of bringing these perspectives together around a shared question: How can societies create the support, relationships and care infrastructure that enables people to age in place?