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Wellbeing, health and occupation research


Healthy ageing

Wellbeing, Health and Occupation for Older People (WHOOP)

Research interests

  • Exercise and older people
  • Older people and meaningful occupation
  • Foot health
  • Community/social care for older people
  • Intergenerational activities – knowledge sharing
  • Chronic pain in older people

Research projects

Over the last six years many academics and researchers from across the university have come together in a research focus group termed the Wellbeing, Health and Occupation for Older People group (WHOOP). A subgroup to WHO activities, the group aim to develop projects with a particular focus upon the involvement of older people in the planning and development of WHOOP.

In 2004 WHOOP was awarded a small grant of £5,000 from the Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP) to fund a project to begin to explore older people’s perceptions of a partnership between the University of Brighton and the local older people's community. The pilot project was most successful in engaging with the older people's community. Participants from the study have provided a valuable contribution to the project by talking openly about their experiences of ageing.

WHOOP report downloadDownload the full Wellbeing, Health and Occupation for Older People Research Group Report:

Older people's perceptions of a partnership between the University of Brighton and the local older people's community (pdf 2.68Mb)


In 2006 WHOOP group carried out Brighton and Sussex Community Knowledge Exchange (BSCKE) funded project "Activity Buddies: Quality of Life for Older People" project. The aim of the project was to develop a transferable model which could be used in other areas of the University of Brighton as well a model for other universities and community groups locally, regionally and nationally.

Activity Buddies report on Improving Quality of Life for Older PeopleActivity Buddies report on Improving Quality of Life for Older People (BSCKE funded project) (pdf 865Kb)



In 2008 the WHOOP Research group received further funding from the South East Coastal Communities (SECC) programme. A university wide bid awarded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). The WHOOP group received £84,147 to continue developing intergenerational projects centering on improving quality of life, wellbeing and health. The findings also enabled the group to continue to develop the successful model to include staff and students from different faculties and universities, form new community links with voluntary organisations and older people

Activity Buddies downloadFor further information please see Activity Buddies: Promoting quality of life for older people (pdf 399Kb)



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