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The Ransackers project: educational adventures for older learners
- Author:
- KATHCHILD June
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 13(1), March 2009, pp.23-26.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Research shows that people who are engaged in formal learning in later life are physically and mentally healthier and more able to deal with the stress of depression and bereavement. This article describes a project that has created a range of opportunities for older people to access higher education. Ransackers students spend a term in residence at one of four residential colleges in England, pursuing a project of interest and developing research skills. Students are supported by individual tutorship and the teaching of necessary study and information technology skills, in a peer group setting. After completion of the programme the majority of these older learners remain in education. Further funding is required to support the project.
Improving life for older people: helping councils make a difference
- Author:
- WHITTAKER Shelley
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 16(1), 2012, pp.17-21.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The Ageing Well programme aims to improve life for older people by working with councils to help them make better places for people to grow old in. This work needs to continue despite the challenge local authorities face with budgets. Support from the Ageing Well programme has helped councils identify innovative ways to look at the ageing agenda. The programme encourages councils and the wider public to see older people in a more positive light. It helps to show older people as an asset to society, whether the economy or through volunteering and life experience, and helps councils embrace the idea of making their area a better place in which to grow old. This article discusses the programme's origins and purpose, the work it has been doing, and the legacy it will leave for councils to work well in the future. The programme has shown how different councils face different issues within the ageing agenda, and therefore need different solution and suggests that councils need to engage with older people to support them fully and to embrace the ageing agenda.
Re-igniting the Spark of Life: a philosophy and whole systems approach
- Authors:
- VERITY Jane, LEE Hilary
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Dementia Care, 19(5), September 2011, pp.24-27.
- Publisher:
- Hawker
This article presents an introduction to Spark of Life Philosophy and how it is being implemented and evaluated in a range of dementia care settings around the world. The spark represents the wellbeing of the human spirit, and ensuring a strong and healthy spirit is a cornerstone of the Spark of Life Philosophy. The key to reigniting the spark in dementia patients is through the quality of interaction that takes place between people. In dementia care, the Spark of Life Philosophy is implemented as a whole systems approach, with a club programme for people with dementia, a torchbearer’s programme for selected staff members, and an education programme for everyone connected with an organisation. This article details these three aspects of the Spark of Life Philosophy, and presents evidence of the efficacy of the approach. Overall, the Spark of Life Philosophy redefines what it means to have dementia, and the possibilities for those that do when supported with compassion.
Grouchy old men?
- Author:
- WILLIAMSON Toby
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 13(1), March 2009, pp.19-22.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article describes Grouchy Old Men?, a Mental Health Foundation project that aims to raise awareness of the emotional health and mental well-being needs of older men. It is also challenging perceptions of who older men are and how they relate to the world. The project involves several activities including: developing a learning and information exchange network for organisations with an interest in older men's mental health; producing a "how to" guide to developing services that engage isolated older men; working with organisations such as Age Concern to pilot new approaches to communicating, engaging and working with older men with mental health needs. It concludes that age, poorly designed information and inaccessible services should not prevent older men from getting support for their emotional health and well-being when they need it.
Let's Dance! How dance improves physical and mental health: a briefing for the Cross-Party Group on Arts and Health
- Author:
- WELSH NHS CONFEDERATION
- Publisher:
- Welsh NHS Confederation
- Publication year:
- 2019
- Pagination:
- 7
- Place of publication:
- Cardiff
This briefing provides examples to show some of the ways that dance is being used to improve people's physical and mental wellbeing across Wales. The initiatives include: Movement for Stroke Rehabilitation, delivered in partnership with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB) and Rubicon Dance; Breakin’ for Better Mental Health, which involves both breakdancing and rap music as expressive art forms to improve young people’s emotional and mental health; Dance for Parkinson’s; Dance to Health, a falls prevention project for older people been developed by Aesop and Swansea Bay UHBat Swansea Bay UHB. The examples show how dance initiatives can support the prevention agenda by helping people stay active and healthy outside of traditional health and social care settings. (Edited publisher abstract)
Evaluation of a laughter-based exercise program on health and self-efficacy for exercise
- Authors:
- KASKIE Brian, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 57(6), 2017, pp.1051-1061.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Background: Despite health benefits of physical activity (PA) and risks of physical inactivity, many older adults do not accumulate sufficient levels of PA to achieve associated health benefits. Lack of PA enjoyment may be a barrier to PA participation. Combining simulated laughter and PA for strength, balance, and flexibility is a potential solution for helping older adults maintain independence in activities of daily living through enjoyable participation in PA. Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to assess whether combining simulated laughter exercises with a moderate-intensity strength, balance, and flexibility PA programme (i.e., LaughActive) increases participation in PA, health, and self-efficacy for PA among older adults residing in 4 assisted living facilities (ALFs). Design and methods: The 12-week wait list control pilot study used pre- and 6-week post-intervention comparisons within and between groups identified by paired sample t-test results among those who participated in twice-weekly LaughActive classes (n = 27). Results: Significant improvements (p < .05–.10) were observed in mental health (SF-36v2), aerobic endurance (2-minute step test), and self-efficacy for exercise (OEE). Implications PA programmes that elicit positive emotions through simulated laughter have the potential to improve health, physical performance, and self-efficacy for PA among older adults and may positively influence participant adherence.
Local health and care planning: menu of preventative interventions
- Author:
- PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND
- Publisher:
- Public Health England
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 85
- Place of publication:
- London
This document outlines public health interventions that can improve the health of the population and reduce health and care service demand. There are at least six areas where preventative interventions have been shown to improve health and wellbeing and save money to the health and/or care system within a five-year horizon. These are: alcohol – identification and brief advice (IBA) in primary care; alcohol – alcohol care teams (ACT) in secondary care; tobacco – screening, advice and referral in secondary care; hypertension – improved management of hypertension in primary care; contraception – increase uptake of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) in general practice, maternity and abortion pathways; and falls – implement a fracture liaison service (FLS) in secondary care. Public health interventions focusing on healthy ageing, dementia and frailty, mental health and physical activity are also outlined. (Edited publisher abstract)
Prevention: a shared commitment: making the case for a Prevention Transformation Fund
- Author:
- LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
- Publisher:
- Local Government Association
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 24
- Place of publication:
- London
This document identifies and collates key pieces of evidence about the cost effectiveness of prevention in order to make the case for greater investment in prevention interventions. The report recommends that the Government should introduce a Prevention Transformation Fund, worth at least £2 billion annually. This would enable some double running of new investment in preventative services alongside ‘business as usual’ in the current system, until savings can be realised and reinvested into the system – as part of wider local prevention strategies. Based on the analysis of an extensive range of intervention case studies that have provided a net cost benefit, the report suggests that investment in prevention could yield a net return of 90 per cent. (Edited publisher abstract)
Ageing artfully: older people and professional participatory arts in the UK
- Author:
- CUTLER David
- Publisher:
- Baring Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 64
- Place of publication:
- London
Provides a snapshot of arts organisations working with older people, setting out the personal and societal benefits that participation in the arts may generate. This report is mainly the result of interviews with people in over 30 arts organisations working with older people and correspondence with more than 70 others. After looking briefly at the general context for older people in the UK, the report attempts to paint a picture of current activity through the analysis of over a hundred short case studies of work by arts organisations (appended at A). This is accompanied by a briefer analysis of complementary work by non-arts organisations. This forms the basis, along with published evidence, for a description of the personal and societal benefits of this work. Finally, conclusions are drawn as to how this activity be taken forward, including by using international models (described in Appendix B). Additional resources can be found in Appendix C. (Edited publisher abstract)
Aging in urban Japan – intergenerational reading in Tokyo
- Author:
- BACHMANN Inger Maleen
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 18(1), 2014, pp.24-29.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce a volunteer network from the Tokyo Metropolitan area that addresses the urge for senior citizens to stay mentally active and provide a possibility for them to participate in intergenerational contact as to feel included and useful to society. Design/methodology/approach: The research derives from literature review, local government documents and online presentation as well as an interview that has been conducted by the Tokyo senior information site. Findings: The REPRINTS (Research of Productivity by Intergenerational Sympathy) network in Tokyo is but one answer that combines a mentally challenging activity with intergenerational contact. The network presents an easy to reach and easy to implement diversion for schools to enable children to experience the traditional form of storytelling and help senior citizens to feel challenged and needed. Practical implications: Learning from the experience of the REPRINTS network could help to set up similar activities in other communities that deal with the same problems and are seeking ways to include senior citizens, help them stay active and useful for the community and encourage intergenerational contact. Originality/value: Japan is one of the forerunners when it comes to aging population. Yet, most research still focusses on the challenges, care and especially problems that occur in dying rural areas. This paper instead tries to take a more positive look to the future and concentrates on urban life and its context. (Publisher abstract)