Ageing with Dignity: Rights, Inclusion, and Intervention In Later Life

Population ageing is transforming societies worldwide, creating both opportunities and challenges for individuals, families, communities, and institutions. Older adults face diverse experiences shaped by inequalities related to gender, race, class, disability, health status, migration, and geographical location. At the same time, changing labour markets, pension systems, care arrangements, and social policies raise important questions about social inclusion, participation, rights, and well-being in later life.

This joint session of the Sociology of Ageing and Clinical Sociology Research Committees explores how sociological knowledge can be applied to address the challenges and opportunities associated with ageing populations. We invite contributions that move beyond the analysis of social problems to examine interventions, programmes, policies, and forms of social action designed to improve the lives of older persons and strengthen age-inclusive communities and institutions.

Topics may include, but are not limited to, mandatory retirement and extended working lives; ageism and discrimination; caregiving and long-term care; social isolation and community engagement; healthy ageing; intergenerational relations; housing and age-friendly environments; elder rights and advocacy; pension and social protection systems; ageing and migration; ageing in the Global South; and clinical sociological interventions aimed at enhancing individual and collective well-being.

The session welcomes empirical, theoretical, methodological, and practice-oriented contributions that demonstrate how sociological insights can inform effective interventions and promote social justice for older adults. Particular attention will be given to research that bridges micro-, meso-, and macro-level processes and contributes to evidence-based social change.