older people

Models for providing improved care in residential care homes: A thematic literature review

This Annotated Bibliography is one output from a review of the available research evidence to support improved care in residential care homes as the needs of older people intensify. The review identified extremely little published evidence on residential care homes; the research base is almost exclusively related to provision of care in nursing homes.

Equality in later life: a national study of older people's mental health services

This study of older people's mental health services assessed available national data and visited specialist mental health trusts. The interview tool covered questions relation to several of the core standards used by the Healthcare Commission to assess trusts' performance. The key findings are reported in four main themes: age discrimination, the quality of inpatient care, the comprehensiveness of services; and working with other organisations (how specialist services worked with primary care, adult social services and acute hospitals).

Life in old age (Radio 4 series: The seven ages of humanity)

Four Radio 4 programmes in a series about the health and wellbeing of the seven ages of humanity. These four programmes explore life experiences and issues for people in their sixties and seventies.

The first programme looks at memory loss, the second discusses chronic conditions such as osteo-arthritis and the inability to hear, the third examines retirement, and the final programme looks at how medicine can fix some of the physical problems of old age.

Still going strong : a guide to living with dementia

This booklet, produced by the Mental Health Foundation, is for people who want to find out more about living with dementia. It explains some of the basic facts about dementia, gives ideas on where to get practical and emotional help, offers advice on planning for the future, and details some strategies which other people have used to cope with dementia. Finally, it recommends places to go for information and help for people with dementia.

What is dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)?

The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia, their families and carers. They produce information and advice sheets to support those affected by dementia. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a form of dementia that shares characteristics with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. It may account for 10 to 15 per cent of all cases of dementia in older people. This information sheet outlines the symptoms of DLB, how it is diagnosed and how it is treated.