The Asian Conference on Aging and Gerontology 2017 (AGEN2017)

Join us in Kobe this summer for The Asian Conference on Aging and Gerontology 2017 (AGen2017), June 8-11, 2017. ***AGen2017 at a glance The Asian Conference on Aging and Gerontology 2017 (AGen2017) will be held alongside The Asian Conference on the Social Sciences (ACSS2017) and The Asian Conference on Sustainability, Energy and the Environment (ACSEE2017) in the beautiful and cosmopolitan city of Kobe, Japan. Submit your abstract now to participate in this international, interdisciplinary and intercultural event. **Location: Art Center Kobe, Kobe, Japan **Dates: Thursday, June 8 to Sunday, June 11, 2017 **Initial Abstract Submission Deadline: January 19, 2017 **Early Bird Registration Deadline: February 20, 2017 **Enquiries: agen@iafor.org SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT: iafor.org/agen2017-call-for-papers Already had your abstract accepted? Register now: iafor.org/agen2017-registration To find out more about registration packages, presentation options, conference events and more, please visit the conference website: agen.iafor.org ------------- ***AGen2017 Conference Theme: "East Meets West: Innovation and Discovery" The Asian Conference on Aging and Gerontology 2017 (AGen2017) invites papers on all aspects of aging. Our theme explores the tensions that have emerged due to globalisation and the growing influence of Western cultural values on Eastern traditions such as intergeneration coresidence, filial piety and the family-based support networks that provide for the care of the elderly in later life. Jolly and Macintyre's depiction of the persistent belief in an "unchanging cultural core" of bedrock values such as family support for the elderly has resulted in the resistance of many governments in Asia and the Pacific Rim to plan effectively for the care and needs of a growing aging population. By treating culture as a dynamic process that adapts to new ideas, opportunities and economic realities we can anticipate change and implement proactive policies that support the elderly, their families and the societies that are ultimately responsible for the quality of life among their populations. This conference serves as an opportunity to present new research on the changing face of aging in the Asia-Pacific Region, to network with fellow professionals and to develop policy interventions that improve the lives of our elders. The growing disconnect in Asia from traditional forms of family support is seen in the increased shift towards more Western models of independence for elders, decreased levels of coresidence and extended family living, and the weakening of family support networks. In particular, AGen2017 seeks presentations on intergeneration support, the economics of retirement, the changing health patterns of the elderly, independent living, the residential patterns of the elderly, or assistive technologies. The Asian Conference on Aging and Gerontology is the only international conference on aging held annually in Japan and we welcome your participation and research. In conjunction with our global partners, we look forward to extending you a warm welcome in 2017. – The AGen2017 Organising Committee (iafor.org/agen2017-committee) ------------- ***Programme **Plenary Panel: Easts Meets West – Healthy, Active and Beautiful Aging in Asia Featured Panel Chairs: Professor James McNally and Professor Hiroshi Ishida How any society deals with aging can be a contentious issue, one on which questions of culture, convenience and even expedience are brought to bear. Economic prosperity and peace in developed countries has lead to unprecedented levels of healthcare provision for a population that, as a result, is living far longer. Coupled with falling birthrates, Western Europe and Japan are witnessing demographic changes that bring unparalleled challenges but also unexpected opportunities for aging populations, as innovations and discoveries help people lead active and healthy lives. This panel will provide an overview of the demographic situation in different countries and cultures in Asia and beyond to compare and contrast outlooks for the aged. It will also examine the concepts of healthy, active and beautiful aging. *A complementary panel will be held on the same theme at the European Conference Series 2017 in Brighton, UK. **Featured Presentation: Methodologies for the Collection of Comparative Community Level Public Health Data: Obtaining Powerful and Statistically Meaningful Findings for Small Populations Professor James W. McNally, University of Michigan, USA Recent health emergencies such as the ebola outbreak in 2015 and the current zika virus reflects the pressing need for the rapid and statistically meaningful collection of data, often within small geographic areas. The collection of public health data at the community level is challenging for a number of reasons. Building respondent trust and gaining local support are key, but even when these barriers are overcome the choice of questions and how they are asked is central to the success of a study and to its impact on health improvements and policy change. One of the common problems found in many community level studies is the lack of comparability and the inability to generalize findings beyond the study area. While interesting and useful information is often obtained, translating this information into a framework that facilitates policy impact often proves difficult due to a lack of comparability. The NACDA Program on Aging has been promoting a methodology for overcoming the challenges of generalizability and comparability that has been successfully employed in several small area studies of public health and healthcare unitization. The presentation will describe this methodology and provide examples of its efficacy in real-world research situations. The presentation will provide supporting materials to guide interested users in applying this approach for their own research specializations. This approach is flexible and works across languages and research disciplines so it can be applied in a variety of public health studies, including RAPID AREA ANALYSIS (RAP) situations. ------------- ***IAFOR's Grants and Scholarships For information about IAFOR's new grants and scholarships for PhD students and early career academics, please visit: www.iafor.org/agen2017-financial-support ------------- ***IAFOR Publishing Opportunities **Peer-reviewed journal: IAFOR Journal of the Social Sciences The IAFOR Journal of the Social Sciences (joss.iafor.org) is an editorially independent journal associated with AGen2017. The editor of the journal will select the strongest papers from associated conference proceedings for consideration. This open access journal, which conforms to the highest academic standards, reflects the interdisciplinary and international nature of our conferences. **Conference Proceedings After having your abstract accepted and presenting your research at the conference, you are encouraged to submit a full paper for inclusion in the official conference proceedings. Our conference proceedings are open access research repositories, which act as permanent records of the research generated by IAFOR conferences. Further details are available here: iafor.org/agen2017-final-paper-submission **THINK THINK (think.iafor.org), The Academic Platform, is IAFOR's online magazine, publishing the latest in interdisciplinary research and ideas from some of the world's foremost academics, many of whom have presented at IAFOR conferences. Content is varied in both subject and form, with everything from full research papers, to shorter opinion pieces, interviews, podcasts, film and photography. ------------- ***Join IAFOR at AGen2017 to: – Present to a global audience – Have your work published in the Conference Proceedings and considered for peer-reviewed, open-access journals – Benefit from IAFOR's interdisciplinary focus by hearing about the latest research in Aging and Gerontology, the Social Sciences, Sustainability, Energy and the Environment, and more – Participate in a truly international, interdisciplinary and intercultural event – Take part in interactive audience sessions – Network with international colleagues **Register now to take advantage of Early Bird Registration and save over 20%. Early Bird Registration is open until the end of February 20, 2017. Lunch is included in all conference registrations. Please see the registration page for details: www.iafor.org/agen2017-registration *If you have attended an IAFOR conference within the past year, or belong to an affiliated university or institution, we offer additional discounts in appreciation of your support. Please contact us at agen@iafor.org for details. ------------- ***About IAFOR To learn more about IAFOR, please visit www.iafor.org. For enquiries please contact agen@iafor.org.