“You may assume that something is a problem for older people, but that is not necessarily the case.”

You have a biomedical background. What made you choose the master's programme Health, Ageing and Society?

"After completing my bachelor's degree, I spent a year on the board of my music association in Leiden. During that time, I realised I did not really miss working in the lab. That prompted me to explore other directions. I wanted to learn more about specific health issues and work more closely with people. After getting acquainted with the master's programme Health, Ageing and Society, I saw that it was truly the right fit for me."

"What I appreciate most is how dedicated the programme staff are to the students. They genuinely want to get to know you and support you, and you can feel that in everything they do. If I am struggling with something, I know exactly who I can turn to, and I know they will always try to find a solution. That helps you build a strong connection with each other."

You work closely with older people from the South Holland North Older People's Advisory Council. What do you think of that collaboration?

"At first, it was quite outside my comfort zone. In the very first week we were introduced to them, and you are thrown in at the deep end a little, but it is incredibly enjoyable. I find it very educational because it gives you a broader perspective on certain topics and barriers. You may assume that something is a problem for older people, but that is not necessarily the case. For example, we once attended a lecture where someone shared their experiences from research conducted in a nursing home. Before the study, staff thought that safety or quality of care would be the main issue, but for the residents themselves, food turned out to be the real concern."

"That shows that if you want to make an impact, you need to work together and listen carefully to the needs of the older people you are trying to help. We do not always do that. I think it is extremely important that this type of collaboration is already embedded in the master's programme."

The programme is quite international and small scaled. What do you think of working in small international groups?

"It is very valuable to work in small groups with people from different professional and national backgrounds. Everyone brings so much experience and expertise from their own field. You can learn a great deal from each other's perspectives. If you are open to it, you can develop a completely different way of looking at things."

Would you like to work with older people in the future?

"It is definitely an option. You can learn a lot from older people. I enjoy listening to their stories and hearing about their experiences. They are experts in their own lives. At the same time, I also have other interests in health, so I am still exploring different possibilities."

"In the future, I might like to combine teaching and research. I would really enjoy becoming a junior lecturer in the Health, Ageing and Society master's programme. Almost every year, graduates are selected to lead tutorial groups. That allows you to pass on the knowledge you gained during the programme to a new group of students. I can also see myself doing research, especially qualitative research, which I find particularly interesting."

"At the moment, I still find it difficult to know exactly what I want to do. Just as I did after Biomedical Sciences, I am exploring my options. The programme exposes you to many different career paths, which helps you understand what kind of career might suit you. For example, through visits to organisations where alumni work."

In what way has the master's programme changed your view of elderly care?

"What surprised me most was how difficult it is to navigate the elderly care system. The fact that the same type of care can fall under different laws really opened my eyes. It is very complex. I was also surprised by how much happens throughout a person's life and how strongly those experiences can influence their life course. Topics such as loneliness and different forms of loss affected me deeply."

"I started the programme with very little knowledge of elderly care, but I have learned a great deal. As graduates, we can make an impact at different levels. For example, you can continue in policy or research, or work on addressing the bureaucracy within elderly care. You can also contribute to solutions for the challenges faced by informal caregivers. In addition, you can make a real difference on a personal level. For example, in community centres where you interact with older people every day. You can genuinely contribute to the everyday lives of older adults."

Faculty of Medicine: more than medicine

The master's programme Health, Ageing and Society is part of the Faculty of Medicine at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and Leiden University. The faculty prepares students to make a real difference, especially at a time when healthcare systems are under pressure and health inequalities are increasing.

This requires broad expertise, ranging from care and prevention to research and innovation, focused on societal challenges and supported by technology and data. That is why the faculty offers a wide range of master's programmes: Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Health, Ageing and Society, Population Health Management, Technical Medicine, Pharmacy, Transfusion Medicine and Cellular Tissue Therapies, and Statistics and Data Science. Discover which bachelor's or master's programme is right for you.

Translated with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).