Collaborative Older Adults Research Network (COARN)
The Collaborative Older Adults Research Network (COARN) was set up by a group of multidisciplinary researchers at Sheffield Hallam University. The aim was to create a ‘Levelling Up’ research agenda for older adults, designed and developed by older adults and their key stakeholders throughout the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield).
Who is the website for and why?
This COARN website has been developed with older adults and their stakeholders in the SYMCA. It has an embedded mapping tool which you can use to identify and locate older adult services that are available within the SYMCA. It is free for everyone to access and use. This website contains all the information that individuals need to explore available services, organisations and activities that are of interest (such as days/times/fees/contact details).
Please note- It is the responsibility of the services themselves to keep their details up to date.
COARN Network
The network was expanded to provide a group of stakeholders that was truly representative of older adults within SYMCA. Patient and public involvement (PPI) workshops were held for older adults and their key stakeholders to discuss key issues regarding levelling up.
Place Standard Tool
The Place Standard tool, which is designed to structure a conversation about place was used during the PPI workshops and 14 key areas were discussed:
- Moving Around
- Public Transport
- Traffic and Parking
- Streets and Spaces
- Natural Space
- Play and Recreation
- Facilities and Services
- Work and Local Economy
- Housing and Community
- Social Interaction
- Identity and Belonging
- Feeling Safe
- Care and Maintenance
- Influence and Sense of Control
People to People
The COARN will continue to be a self-sustaining collaborative research network across the SYMCA with a specific focus on older adults and reducing inequalities. A research and innovation agenda, for older adults, by older adults which amplifies and addresses the issues which matter most to them will utilise expertise and knowledge to address challenges for older adults in SYMCA.
Senior Lecturer in Nutrition, Food & Nutrition
Sheffield Business School
Co-lead for strategic research theme Transforming Places for Health and Wellbeing, Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC)
Lucie Nield
Senior Lecturer of Computer Science
Online Course Leader of MSc in CS
Lead of Interactive Data Analytics Group (iDAG)
Member of Conversational AI Research Cluster (CAIRC)
Dr Abdel-Karim Al-Tamimi
Research Assistant
Charlotte Jackson