In Autumn 2022 the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute led a series of conversation groups with Cambridge Older People’s Enterprise’s (COPE) Talking Together programme.
Their series of telephone-based discussion groups was created just before the pandemic hit to address issues of isolation, loneliness and depression which can result when older people find it difficult to continue to be involved in their communities.
The telephone is used as the connection to remove the challenges presented by barriers to digital platforms. The groups are facilitated by a variety of professionals, volunteers and experts from all walks of life, from museum staff and nature reserve
representatives to radio presenters and academics.
Over six weeks our researchers and invited guests were in conversation with small groups of local residents across Cambridgeshire. The groups shared knowledge, experiences and perspectives connected to the themes of the conversations.
We focused on a range of areas of our research, from the fundamental biology of a stem cell, to how our discoveries contribute to our understanding and treatment of health conditions such as cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
The conversations created space for researchers, invited guests and members of the public to share knowledge, curiosity and lived experiences connected to the topics.
