Current thematic priorities

There are ten PhD projects within the framework of the NRW Research College GROW, which are located in three overarching thematic areas: Digitalisation & Technology, Networked Care and Life Course & Social Inequality. In this way, important topics of current ageing research are taken up from an interdisciplinary perspective and explored in greater depth within the framework of the individual PhD projects. Below you will find more information on the three thematic areas and the individual PhD projects.

The thematic area of Digitisation & Technology brings together three PhD projects that deal with the use of digital technologies in different settings.

In this topic area, the focus is on care in different environments and settings of people in old age. The aim is to investigate what care preferences people of advanced age generally have and how care and, above all, emergency care can also be effectively organised in rural regions. Care and concern are of great importance, especially in the last phase of life. Therefore, dealing with the topics of dying, death and finiteness is extremely important, especially in the context of care.

In the thematic focus Life Course & Social Inequality, the factors influencing the quality of life and well-being in the areas of social relationships, individual life course and quality of care in inpatient facilities for very old people in need of care are examined.