Call for proposals: Old Age Care in Times of Crisis, Past & Present Symposium

8 – 9 April 2021

Rarely in recent history has a global event such as the current pandemic brought care for older people into sharper focus. Now, as in the past, many struggle physically and/or mentally, due to a range of bio-psycho-social factors. The provision of care for older people has involved a host of actors from international agencies and NGOs, national and local governments, charities, campaigners, medical and care professionals, and, of course, families and community networks. What has happened to these endeavours, and to old age care as a whole, in times of crisis? Does crisis bring change – for better or worse – in the practices, ideas, cultures, laws, and structures surrounding care for older people? In a two-day, cross-disciplinary symposium, we will consider how social care, medical treatment, and the rights of older people have been affected by major events such as war, pandemic, plague, famine, economic depression and austerity, industrialisation, political extremism, enslavement, colonialism, or environmental damage/collapse.

The symposium will either be a ‘live’/online mix or online only. It will be held over two afternoons BST on 8 and 9 April 2021 and be limited to speakers and discussants. Speakers will be asked to submit a 3,000-word paper by 19 March, for circulation to attendees only. At the webinar, they will give a short 10-minute summary of their paper, which will be recorded.  We hope to upload the recordings to an online platform for wider dissemination.

Reflections on old age care in times of crisis are welcome from any discipline across the humanities and social sciences. If you would like to give a paper, please submit five key words, an abstract of up to 200 words, and a brief bio to Louise Hide and Janet Weston at OldAgeCareInCrisis@gmail.com by 13 November 2020.

For more information, please visit Oldagecareintimesofcrisis.blogspot.com