Category: Ageing and Health

We are a global leader in ageing research. We work across the full spectrum of age-related challenges. These are the stories behind that research.

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World Mental Health Day Special: Supporting university staff and students: The five ways to wellbeing

In this World Mental Health Day special episode James talks to Kate Aitchison, Head of Student Health & Wellbeing, Dr Lucy Robinson, Reader in Clinical Psychology and Ollie Bell, Colleague Health and Wellbeing Lead.

World Mental Health Day takes place on 10 October every year and gives us a chance to talk about looking after our mental health and how important it is to talk about things and get help if you are struggling.

Our guests discuss the importance of mental health, the lasting impacts of the pandemic on both students and colleagues and the 5 ways to wellbeing, a simple and effective framework you can use to help take care of your mental health.

The 5 ways to wellbeing: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/

  • Connect
  • Be Active
  • Take Notice
  • Keep Learning
  • Give

Recommendations:

Lucy recommends the book Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Atomic-Habits-by-James-Clear/9781847941848

James recommends the twitter account Doomscrolling Reminder Bot: https://twitter.com/doomscroll_bot

Ollie recommends the Zombies, Run App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zombies-run/id503519713

Newcastle University Student Resources:

University Wellbeing Services: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/wellbeing/
NUSU Student Advice Centre: https://nusu.co.uk/support/advice-centre
Nightline: https://nusu.co.uk/support/talk/nightline
The Nurture-U Wellbeing Survey: https://www.nurtureuniversity.co.uk/survey

Newcastle University Colleague and Postgraduate Resources:

Colleague Wellbeing Hub: https://newcastle.sharepoint.com/hub/people-services/Pages/Colleague-Support-and-Wellbeing/Wellbeing%20Hub/Colleague-Health-and-Wellbeing.aspx

Employee Assistance Programme: https://newcastle.sharepoint.com/hub/orghas/Pages/Employee-Assistance-Programme.aspx 25th October, 10:00 – 11:30
Sleep and CBT Workshop: Sleep well, Live Better: Build an understanding of the evidence base behind sleep and learn how to have better sleep https://elements.ncl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1975

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3.7 Fuse: Health Inequalities in Pregnancy with Dr Nicola Heslehurst and Amy McNaughton

In this episode we talk to Dr Nicola Heslehurst, Senior Lecturer in Maternal Nutrition at Newcastle University and Fuse Co-lead for Early Life and Adolescence Programme, andAmy McNaughton Public Health Consultant at Public Health Wales.

Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, is a partnership of public health researchers across the five universities in North East England. The centre works with policy makers and practice partners to improve health and wellbeing and tackle inequalities.

Discover how a Fuse collaboration between Newcastle University and Public Health Wales helped to determine how socioeconomic inequalities affect health in pregnancy.

More information about the project can be found on the fuse website and in BMJ Open. Discover how fuse can help  policy and practice partners and submit an enquiry at AskFuse.

Follow @fuse_online and @PublicHealthW on twitter for more information and updates.

With thanks to the wider team who worked on this research at:

Fuse / Newcastle University: Dr Katie Thomson: Dr Malcolm Moffat, Oluwatomi Arisa, Catherine Richmond, Dr Adefisayo Odeniyi, Professor Clare Bambra, Professor Judith Rankin, Professor Heather Brown.

Public Health Wales: Dr Amrita Jesurasa, Dr Julie Bishop, Susan Wing.

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1.6 The age-old problem of discrimination

In this episode we talk to Tom Scharf, Professor of Social Gerontology at Newcastle University about the social aspects of ageing and the new Centre for Ageing and Inequalities at Newcastle University, of which Tom is co-director.

Tom is President of the British Society of Gerontology and is passionate about the issue of ageism. His work looks at social inclusion and exclusion in later life, with a focus on the spaces and places in which inclusion and exclusion arise.

Learn about the widespread misrepresentation of older people in the media, why we need a more aspirational view of ageing and later life, and the importance of solidarity between different generations.

To find out more, visit Newcastle University’s Centre for Ageing and Inequalities, follow Tom on twitter @TomScharfNcl and watch his INSIGHTS Virtual Lecture.

You can access the Centre for Ageing Better Image Library here.

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1.2 The Geordie Cancer Drug

In this episode we talk to Professor Ruth Plummer, Clinical Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine at Newcastle University about the ‘Geordie’ cancer drug Rubraca®, a ground-breaking ovarian cancer drug, developed here in Newcastle.

Based at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Ruth has been working in the field for 25 years and has made significant contributions to extending and enhancing the lives of those with cancer, including being part of the Newcastle team which developed Rubraca®.

Learn about Ruth’s ground-breaking career and how she and her colleagues have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to continue this vital research.

To find out more about Rubraca® visit the From Newcastle Blog and follow Ruth on twitter @plummer_ruth.