ROSEnet  – Reducing Old-Age Social Exclusion

Old-age exclusion involves interchanges between multi-level risk factors, processes and outcomes. Varying in form and degree across the older adult life course, its complexity, impact and prevalence is amplified by old-age vulnerabilities, accumulated disadvantage for some groups, and constrained opportunities to ameliorate exclusion. Old-age exclusion leads to inequities in choice and control, resources and relationships, and power and rights in key domains of life. Old-age exclusion implicates states, societies, communities and individuals. ROSEnet is guided by five questions: 1. What knowledge is available on old-age exclusion? 2. What is the best conceptual approach for understanding old age exclusion? 3. How is old-age exclusion constructed? 4. What are the implications of old-age exclusion? 5. How do we reduce old-age exclusion? ROSEnet aims to overcome fragmentation and critical gaps in conceptual innovation on old-age exclusion across the life course, in order to address the research-policy disconnect and tackle social exclusion amongst older people in Europe. The action will engage researchers and policy stakeholders in creating shared understandings and directing the development of new policy and practice interventions that can be practically and effectively implemented, to reduce exclusion in diverse European ageing societies. WHY A COST CROSS-NATIONAL COLLABORATION IS CRITICAL Old-age exclusion is relative. It is thus shaped by structural institutions, values, norms and policies of the context in which it occurs. It, therefore, can take on different meanings in different national settings and European regions. It might also be constructed in different ways, with different implications from one jurisdiction to the next. Utilising its pan-European membership and geographic coverage, ROSEnet will be in a unique position to unpack these relative elements of exclusion in later life. RESEARCH COORDINATION OBJECTIVES Synthesise existing knowledge from regional, disciplinary and sectorally disparate dialogues, forming a coherent scientific discourse on old-age exclusion; Critically investigate the construction of life-course old-age exclusion across economic, social, service, civic rights, and community/spatial domains; Assess the implications of old-age exclusion across the life course within economic, social, service, civic rights, and community/spatial domains; Develop new conceptual and theoretical frameworks that can be practically applied in understanding and combating the exclusion of older people in European societies; Identify innovative, and implementable, policy and practice for reducing old-age exclusion amongst different groups of older people and in different jurisdictional and regional contexts. CAPACITY-BUILDING OBJECTIVES Establish an innovative, interdisciplinary and participatory European collaboration, involving researchers, policy stakeholders and older people, to address the disconnect between research and policy on multi-dimensional old-age exclusion. Build cross-European interdisciplinary research capacity, enhancing early-career investigator development, and actively ensuring a gender balance across investigators to nurture and sustain the study of old-age exclusion and to create competitive advantage. Institute collaborative research relationships with COST neighbouring nations and international countries to strengthen Europe’s leadership role and establish the European Research Area as a hub of interdisciplinary excellence in innovation for the study of ageing and disadvantage. Drive a collaborative cross-European programme that cements the participation and leadership of COST Inclusiveness Target Countries in the study of old-age exclusion.