Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Older people's vision for long-term care
- Authors:
- BOWERS Helen, et al
- Publisher:
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 56p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- York
The research project explored the voice, choice and control of older people living with high support needs. The research involved a scoping study exploring the current role of long term care; a series of discussions with older people, their families and professionals; synthesis of key messages with a diverse advisory group; local feedback; and a national ‘sounding board’ event to identify the key messages to be shared. Those involved in the study emphasised the need for all sectors to work to ensure that older people's vision for their own future is widely owned and used to move from the current default model of residential care towards a range of more flexible options.
Making a difference through volunteering: the impact of volunteers who support and care for people at home
- Authors:
- BOWERS Helen, et al
- Publisher:
- CSV
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 140p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The research found that volunteers can break social isolation and improve independence and well-being among older people. Researchers found that 83 per cent of older people who receive volunteer support, report improvements in their quality of life. The report found that volunteers can boost people’s confidence and self-esteem, because someone who isn’t being paid thinks they are important enough to care about. The research noted the wide range of tasks carried out by volunteers, which are often not provided by any other sector, such as dog-walking, accompanying people to doctor appointments and helping with housework. Volunteers provide a service different from but complementary to the statutory sector. The report argues that this should be encouraged and developed and recommends that volunteers be treated as part of a very broad public services system.
Widening choices for older people with high support needs: summary
- Author:
- BOWERS Helen
- Publisher:
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2013
- Pagination:
- 8p.
- Place of publication:
- York
This brief paper summarises the findings of a two- year study of support options available to older people with high support needs. It sets out the potential for viable alternatives to traditional forms of long-term care, how to widen support at a local level and how to overcome cultural and structural barriers that older people face. Older people with high support needs want greater choice and control over their lives and a wider range of options. The study identifies the benefits and potential of options based on mutuality (people supporting each other) and/or reciprocity (people contributing to individual and group well-being). Formal (e.g. Shared Lives, Homeshare, Time Banks) and informal (e.g. mutually supportive relationships) models and arrangements can be found throughout the UK, but they usually operate under the radar of public sector commissioners and on a very small scale. The study identifies five priorities to make change happen: communicating and demonstrating benefits, raising public awareness and engagement, tackling interfaces with other services, replication and scaling out, and mobilising resources.
Widening choices for older people with high support needs: report
- Authors:
- BOWERS Helen, et al
- Publisher:
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2013
- Pagination:
- 95p.
- Place of publication:
- York
This paper reports the findings of Not A One Way Street, a collaborative research project designed to better understand the various ways in which older people with high support needs take up active roles within support arrangements based on mutuality and reciprocity. It describes the benefits and outcomes achieved for individuals, families, communities and providers based on a typology of mutual support that describes the options such as: Shared Lives, Homeshare, cohousing, time banks, mutually supportive relationships, self-help/peer support networks, and mutually supportive communities. More than 100 people across the UK shared their experiences of and outcomes achieved by these models. Ten characteristics or conditions for successful support are highlighted. The study concludes that such options work best when they are locally focused, personally delivered and connected to other services and networks. However it is noted that significant change will be needed in the way that services are commissioned and delivered if current options for support are to be widened to include these models. Barriers include negative attitudes about and narrow perceptions of older age, professional scepticism, and the need for clear outcomes. The report concludes with priorities for action.