Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Tackling loneliness and social isolation: the role of commissioners
- Authors:
- HOLMES Pamela, THOMSON Lousia
- Publisher:
- Social Care Institute for Excellence
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 6
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing explores the opportunities and barriers faced by commissioners seeking to address loneliness and social isolation in older people. It identifies evidence that points the way to a better understanding of effective interventions to tackle loneliness and social isolation, provides examples of emerging practice across the country, and examines what needs to happen next to improve the commissioning environment, and the changes that need to happen in other parts of society. It draws on discussions from a seminar organised by SCIE and Renaisi attended by commissioners, local authorities and third sector representatives, as well as the findings from previous research and evaluation. (Edited publisher abstract)
Social connections and sight loss: research findings
- Authors:
- ROYAL BLIND, SCOTTISH WAR BLINDED
- Publishers:
- Royal Blind, Scottish War Blinded
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 18
- Place of publication:
- Edinburgh
This report outlines the findings of research carried out across the services of the Scottish charities Royal Blind and Scottish War Blinded to investigate the links between vision impairment and loneliness. The report into the major causes of isolation among people living with sight loss and examines what interventions are most effective in preventing and tackling loneliness. It draws on the results of a survey conducted through questionnaires and interviews amongst both young and older people using Royal Blind and Scottish War Blinded’s services. The survey found the majority of respondents has experienced some loneliness. It identified the top causes of loneliness as: problems with mobility and accessing transport, other problems including health issues and vision impairment making it hard to make friends. The report makes recommendations for actions which should be taken in Scotland nationally and locally to promote better social connections for people living with sight loss. These include the need for more specialist support, more vision impairment awareness training in communities and public services and community transport initiatives to support people with sight loss. (Edited publisher abstract)
Health and Wellbeing Innovation Commission Inquiry: social connections and loneliness
- Author:
- BEACH Brian
- Publisher:
- International Longevity Centre UK
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 19
- Place of publication:
- London
This report reflects on how innovation can help foster and improve social connections to the benefit for all people in an ageing society. It also sets out examples of effective innovation in the area of social connections, opportunities and barriers to further innovation, and recommendations to support innovation. The report is based on an oral evidence session where expert witnesses gave evidence to the commissioners and research from ILC-UK. It is one of four publications from ILC-UK’s Health and Wellbeing Innovation Commission Inquiry, which examined the potential for innovation in the areas of health and wellbeing to ensure that services remain sustainable, address needs efficiently, and contribute to positive experiences in later life. (Edited publisher abstract)
Resilience in an ageing Greater Manchester
- Author:
- BAGNALL Kirsty
- Publisher:
- Ambition for Ageing
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 48
- Place of publication:
- Manchester
This report looks at the resilience of older people and the implications for ageing communities. It includes the findings from a literature review and from workshops with three marginalised groups: older South Asian women; older men living in a deprived area; and refugees. The report explores the importance of recognising the impact different marginalising characteristics on a person’s resilience. The findings suggest that although older people can be vulnerable to shocks and stresses, they also may possess assets to prepare themselves and to support others during an emergency. However, marginalisation and social isolation contribute towards an individual’s ability to react during times of shock. The report also found that older people with additional marginalising characteristics were often found to have high levels of bonding social capital, but struggle to make connections outside of their own community. In order to avoid further marginalisation of people, the report recommends the inclusion of a range of marginalised groups in resilience planning. The report makes recommendations on how policy makers can support the needs of older people across Greater Manchester. (Edited publisher abstract)
Predicting perceived isolation among midlife and older LGBT adults: the role of welcoming aging service providers
- Authors:
- YANG Jie, CHU Yoosun, SALMON Mary Anne
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 58(5), 2018, pp.904-912.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Background and Objectives: Older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults are more likely to live alone and less likely to have children compared with their heterosexual counterparts. The lack of immediate family system can render older LGBT adults particularly vulnerable to social isolation and its consequences. The current study utilizes social exclusion theory, which asserts that not only material resources but also engagement with and inclusion into the society are necessary for marginalized people to be integrated into the mainstream. The study examines whether ageing service providers (e.g., senior centres, adult day care, transportation, employment services) who are perceived by older LGBT adults as welcoming to LGBT people may reduce this population’s perceived isolation. Research Design and Methods: Data were collected through a needs assessment survey designed for the ageing LGBT community in North Carolina. Adults aged 45 and over who self-identified as LGBT were recruited at several formal and informal groups. The survey yielded 222 valid responses. The outcome variable was perceived isolation. Key independent variables included having experienced welcoming ageing service providers and living alone. Results: After controlling for potential confounders and demographics, logistic regression results showed that having experienced welcoming ageing service providers was a protective factor against perceived isolation and it also buffered the negative impact of living alone. Discussion and Implications: The findings provided preliminary evidence for a new direction of intervention research—targeting LGBT cultural competence training for medical and social service providers. (Edited publisher abstract)
An overview of reviews: the effectiveness of interventions to address loneliness at all stages of the life-course
- Authors:
- VICTOR Christina, et al
- Publisher:
- What Works Centre for Wellbeing
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 87
- Place of publication:
- London
This systematic review of reviews examines the effectiveness of interventions to alleviate loneliness. Searches retrieved 364 evidence reviews for screening. The final review provides a synthesis of 14 reviews and 14 reports identified from the grey literature, focused on assessing interventions to alleviate loneliness. The material included is International and from within the UK. All published and grey literature studies included focus on older people. Key findings show that there is no one-size fits-all approach to alleviating loneliness in older population groups and that tailored approaches are more likely to reduce loneliness. A number of different approaches are being used to alleviate loneliness in older adults. These include: leisure activities; therapies; social and community interventions; educational approaches; befriending; and system-wide activities, such as changing the cultures of care. There was no evidence of approaches doing any harm, however there was a suggestion that some technology-based approaches are not suitable for everyone and could reinforce a sense of social isolation. A wide variety of loneliness measures were used, and the concept of loneliness was not clearly defined, with the terms loneliness and social isolation often used interchangeably. The results from controlled study designs in community settings and care homes showed no effect of interventions on loneliness. However, the review notes that loneliness is seldom reported as a primary outcome in the published literature. The review makes a number of recommendations for policy. (Edited publisher abstract)
Tackling loneliness: briefing
- Author:
- WHAT WORKS CENTRE FOR WELLBEING
- Publisher:
- What Works Centre for Wellbeing
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 16
- Place of publication:
- London
Based on a systematic review of evidence reviews, this briefing summarises the evidence on what works in alleviating loneliness in people aged 55 years and older. A total of 364 reviews were identified and 28 were included in the final review. The review found there is a need for greater clarity on the concept of loneliness and how it differs from social isolation, for both researchers and practitioners. Other key findings show that there is no one-size fits-all approach to alleviating loneliness in older population groups and that tailored approaches are more likely to reduce loneliness. A number of different approaches are being used to alleviate loneliness in older adults. These include: leisure activities; therapies; social and community interventions; educational approaches; befriending; and system-wide activities, such as changing the cultures of care. There was no evidence of approaches doing any harm, however there was a suggestion that some technology-based approaches are not suitable for everyone and could reinforce a sense of social isolation. Suggestions are made on how to improve the evidence-based on interventions for loneliness. The briefing also provides a case study of Community Webs, a project to reduce loneliness and social isolation of patients presenting to GP practices by mobilising community assets. (Edited publisher abstract)
All the lonely people: loneliness in later life
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 13
- Place of publication:
- London
This report presents evidence about what Age UK know about loneliness amongst people aged 50 and over, what increases the chances of people experiencing loneliness and how best to help those older people who are persistently lonely. It focuses on the need for approaches to reducing loneliness to be tailored to the circumstances of the individual. The analysis shows that the risk of being often lonely is higher among those people who are widowed or who do not have someone to open up to. It also found that the risk of loneliness does vary because of age, although the risk factors may be different. Whilst social activities are an essential component of successful approaches to tackling loneliness, for many people activities are only effective when complemented by emotional and practical support to access them. This requires personalised support and neighbourhoods which encourage and facilitate people to participate in their communities. It concludes that the importance of good quality care, transport and other public amenities to achieve this means a genuinely cross-government approach is essential. (Edited publisher abstract)
Community connector schemes: Ageing Better programme learning
- Author:
- Ageing Better
- Publisher:
- Big Lottery Fund
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 6
Reports on emerging evidence and learning from eight Ageing Better programme areas who are using Community Connector type roles. Community Connectors were defined as any mechanism that identifies isolated people over 50 and works with them to help them transition to less isolated through person-centred structured support. This includes community navigators, social prescribing and approaches that involve people overcoming specific barriers, for example mental health. The report provides some insights to policy makers, commissioners and practitioners to help them when shaping this type of service. This includes making the service work at each stage: entry points and first engagement, relationships building and activities, and moving on. (Edited publisher abstract)
The association between social network factors with depression and anxiety at different life stages
- Authors:
- LEVULA Andrew, HARRE Michael, WILSON Andrew
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 54(6), 2018, pp.842-854.
- Publisher:
- Springer
This study examines whether social network factors influence individual’s depression and anxiety outcomes at different life stages. Data was drawn from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. Hierarchical regression modelling was applied to examine the effects within and across different life stages. The depression and anxiety measures were taken from the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and the social network factors were taken from the self-completion questionnaire. With the exception of social trust in seniors, the social network factors were significant predictors of depression and anxiety. This has practical implications for the design of social policy initiatives. (Publisher abstract)