Action for age
designing a better future
Resources
Students based in Ireland may be interested in the following seminar coming up in October
Design for people with dementia
Publications
Older people and wellbeing
Jessica Allen. Published by IPPR. 2008
This report is the first in a series on older people and wellbeing from ippr and describes some of the key social trends in the UK, assessing how these may be impacting on older people and their wellbeing.
Home Alone
Helen McCarthy, Gillian Thomas. Published by DEMOS 2004
Home Alone argues that users need to become 'co-producers' of personalised services. Policy-makers must learn from the voluntary and community sectors to help older housebound people develop their own networks of support.
Bowling Alone
Robert Putnam, 2000
The author argues that being an active member of a group or social network is declining in the USA and society is suffering as a result.
That bit of help
Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2005
This report documents the experiences of older people and professionals working together to identify gaps in service provision for older people living in their own homes.
Neighbourliness+Empowerment=wellbeing: is there a formula for happy communities?
Mandeep Hothi. The Young Foundation, 2008.
This is a report on a 3-year initiative by three local authorities to explore how local government can practically improve the happiness and wellbeing of their citizens.
Film and radio
'Saying Hello' was a joint project conducted by Age Concern Wigan Borough and the Institute of Health and Social Care Research at the University of Salford together with a group of older volunteer co-researchers. The core aims were to work in partnership with older people, and with health, social care and voluntary agencies in Wigan Borough to:
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investigate ways in which older people manage potential or actual loneliness and isolation
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promote successful coping strategies that support health and well being by preventing and reducing loneliness and isolation
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influence local, regional and national policies and practices with respect to the aspirations of older people
The Project disseminated its findings in a number of ways including a DVD and a radio play
Websites of useful organisations
Age Concern
Age Concern is the UK's largest charity working with and for older people.
The following link allows you to find your nearest Age Concern office:
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/local.asp
The following are Age Concern publications aimed at supporting older people and which may be useful to stimulate thinking around new services and networks:
WRVS
WRVS provides a range of services to help people in need who might otherwise feel lonely and isolated.
Mental Health Foundation
The Mental Health Foundation is currently running a project called Grumpy Old Men? that aims to promote and support innovative services working with older men at risk of isolation and depression to help improve their mental health and well being.
Patient UK
This is a website giving the same health information as provided by GPs to patients during consultations
The link will take you to a page headed: Social Isolation - How to Help Patients Be Less Lonely
Help the Aged
This is an international charity fighting to free older people from poverty, isolation and neglect.
The Young Foundation
This is a leading centre for social innovation.
Red - Design Council
Set up in 2004, RED addressed social and economic issues through design led innovation (no longer active but case studies on website)
Designs of the Times (DOTT07)
A year-long series of events in the North-East in 2007, including the prototyping of new service concepts.
Other useful links
The New Dynamics of Ageing: Landscapes of Cross-Generational Engagement
This ESRC funded project is concerned with ways of enhancing people's experiences of growing older