How does the coronavirus influence our ideas about ageing?
Gerontologists at FAU receive funding for coronavirus study
The international project ‘Age(ing) as future’ at the Institute of Psychogerontology at FAU initiated a study within the context of the coronavirus pandemic in April. In order to conduct the study on ‘Coronavirus and age’, researchers Prof. Dr. Frieder Lang and Fiona Rupprecht, both from the Institute of Psychogerontology at FAU, and Prof. Dr. Helene Hoi-Lam Fung from the Chinese University of Hong Kong succeeded in obtaining extra funding from the Volkswagen Foundation. The researchers will receive a total of €118,900 over a period of 18 months for the purpose of extending the study. So far, the entire project has received more than three million euros in funding.
The accompanying study ‘Coronavirus and age’ investigates personal experiences, attitudes, worries and behaviour with respect to Covid-19 in Germany. It also deals with how people perceive their own ageing process and to what extent they think about the elderly. As the study is integrated into the ‘Age(ing) as future’ project, investigations can be carried out into to what extent impressions of age(ing), future expectations and making provision for ageing change during and after the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Prof. Dr. Frieder Lang, ‘the study will contribute to a better understanding of the crisis and the social changes it is bringing about.’ ‘If the coronavirus pandemic changes how people think about the future, it will also change what provisions they will make for themselves or others. Accordingly, we can use the results to shape the future of ageing and making provision for old age in our society.’
In order to track any possible changes over the course of the ongoing pandemic, the online questionnaire will be repeated at certain intervals over the coming months. You can apply to take part and find information on interim results at: www.geronto.fau.de/forschung/alternsbilder/covid-19-studie
- Further information on the project ‘Age(ing) as future’
Further information:
Prof. Dr. Frieder R. Lang
Fiona Rupprecht, M.Sc.
Institute of Psychogerontology
ipg-gerotest@fau.de