The Centre for Ageing & Dementia Research (CADR) will cultivate an integrated research Centre in Wales delivering world-class interdisciplinary and translational research and nurture the development of a critical mass of researchers with expertise and competencies in a holistic (eco-bio-psycho-social) approach to research on ageing.

Eco: The physical environment in which we live encompassing mobility (transport systems), the natural world (aesthetics, climate, natural resources), the built environment (rural/urban neighbourhoods, homes/housing).
Bio: The body as a biological system including brain, disease, injury.
Psycho: Cognitive processes (thinking) that influence the way experiences are interpreted.
Social: The cultural, social and community systems1 of interacting people(s) with different levels of access, privilege and power.

Importance of CADR
Our new approach is underpinned by the World Health Organization’s (2015) definition of healthy ageing.
Every person […] should have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. Yet, […] environments are highly influential on our behaviour, our exposure to health risks […], our access to quality health and social care and the opportunities that ageing brings. Healthy Ageing is about creating the environments and opportunities that enable people to be and do what they value throughout their lives.

CADR’s strength is our holistic approach to addressing a societal ‘grand challenge’ and the opportunities posed by longevity. We aim to improve the lives of older people and carers through the integration of research on ageing, policy and practice. Our outputs will respond to national and global priority areas for unmet need: improving opportunities to live a long and healthy life; improving health and social care systems (including long-term care); creating age friendly environments; and helping to diminish the impact of dementia.

Our work will be delivered through 4 interlinked work packages (WPs): WP1: Environments of Ageing (Eco) WP2: Characterising dementia and cognition in ageing (Bio) WP3: Social inclusion for health and wellbeing in later life (Psycho and Social) WP4: Research methods, public and professional engagement and involvement
Strategic Objectives
We will generate new knowledge by:
Including health and social care services
Forging a shared mission to deliver an interdisciplinary understanding of ageing and dementia
Providing the infrastructure to enable leading researchers in ageing and dementia research to compete globally
Developing and building research capacity underpinning increased grant capture, establishing essential research resources, novel skills and technologies, and building critical mass for PhD students and early career researchers
Providing a platform for collaborations and internationally competitive interdisciplinary and translational research that will have impact on the health and wellbeing of older people
To address health and social care needs of older people in Wales we will:
 Involve and engage the public to ensure that research addresses the needs of older people, people with dementia and carers
 Facilitate translation of eco-bio-psycho-social findings into clinical and social care practice
 Involve and engage policy makers and practitioners, establishing research priorities and collaborations and working with them to improve services for older people
 Develop and facilitate business and clinical linkages, contributing to the health and wealth of Wales as well as enhancing the Life Science sector