This installation is called ‘Unclaimed’, focusing on what it feels like to grow older in today’s society. It began with hundreds of conversations with older people from different communities, alongside research carried out by University College London and the Centre for Ageing Better.
Participants were involved in interviews and creative workshops to capture their experiences of ageing. Their stories are brought to life through objects, sound and space.
The installation has been designed to look and feel like a lost property office. Some of the objects will feel familiar. Others might catch you by surprise. They are connected to stories from older people: some you will know and others will be unexpected.
Some of the stories feature difficult experiences, such as losing a pension, navigating the city as an immigrant, or feeling isolated later in life.
Other stories focus on moments of joy, such as noticing the light through the trees in a local park, making new connections, or finding meaning through creativity.
And there are stories about the many different forms family can take, and what care in later life could look like.
People speak about their chosen families, LGBTQIA+ experiences and relationships across generations.
The stories of older people are easily overlooked, but they are so important.
Together, these stories remind us that ageing is not one single experience.
Headlines in the media often mention things like “our ageing society” and the “expensive cost of care”. But how often do we really stop and think about it? Whose turn is it next? You will become old. You need to consider and plan for your own future ageing.
It doesn’t matter how old you are right now. You need a plan, and society needs to improve.
You’re invited to take your time here looking around. Read the tags, listen and watch the BSL. Spend a few moments considering someone else’s experience of ageing, and reflect on your own experience of growing older.