Brookes researchers Transforming Care

Transforming Care Conference 2023: Bridging Boundaries, Navigating Transitions, and Addressing Crisis in Global Care. Join the conversation on reshaping the future of care with international experts at Sheffield University, UK.

The Transforming Care Conference, a biennial event organised by the Transforming Care Network, has become a crucial platform for discussions on the evolving landscape of care.

In 2023, the conference took place from June 26th to 28th at Sheffield University, UK.

The distinguished Professor Sue Yeandle and her team at CIRCLE hosted the event. CIRCLE is a centre dedicated to International Research on Care, Labour, and Equalities, and home to the newly established Centre for Care.

It was a great opportunity for Jason Danely (Oxford Brookes Reader in Anthropology; Healthy Ageing and Care Network Chair) and Karla Zimpel-Leal (Oxford Brookes Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Enterprise; Healthy Ageing and Care Network Lead) to present and meet a wide range of international academics and renowned speakers from 29 countries, all focused on not just changing care, but transforming it.

Jason Danely, along with Carlos Chirinos (Visiting Postdoc Researcher, Oxford Brookes Centre for Environment and Society), organised a panel and presented papers on masculinity and care, which generated a lively discussion on cross-cultural differences in gendered care roles and the potential for men's increased participation in care labour to challenge patriarchal social relations.

Karla Zimpel-Leal presented a narrative synthesis on tech-enabled homecare and its impact on ageing-in-place.

The presentation led to a discussion on the positive impact of technology on the health, safety, and wellbeing of older adults but also a critique on the lack of ethical considerations and potential dependency and isolation.

This year's theme, "Boundaries, Transitions, and Crisis Contexts," resonated with the profound changes occurring in the realm of care worldwide. Care, whether for children, adults with disabilities, or older people, is increasingly challenging, visible, and significant.

The conference aimed to bring together the latest research and innovative perspectives to explore how contemporary transformations impact the providers and recipients of care, as well as the conditions and outcomes associated with it.