older people

Information, advice and advocacy for older people: Defining and developing services

An exploration of information, advice and advocacy services for older people. Services providing information, advice and advocacy are crucially important in promoting older people’s independence. The report looks at information, advice, and advocacy and the ways in which they may overlap in practice, as well as the differences between them. It explores definitions, core principles, forms, roles and relationships. Information, advice and advocacy are also discussed in terms of skills, services and processes of empowerment.

Supporting older families : making a real difference

This resource is a practical tool for learning disability partnership boards and others working to support older family carers and their relative with a learning disability – referred to here as older families – to bring about positive changes in their lives. It should enable boards to measure what they are doing, how well they are doing it and to decide what they need to do next.

Care provision within families and its socio-economic impact on care providers across the European Union

This is summary of a study that aimed to compile evidence on: the prevalence of long-term informal care-giving within a family setting to dependent family members or relatives in various EU countries, focusing on the most ‘heavily burdened’ carers; the socio-economic impact of care-giving on the households of family carers; and measures aimed at alleviating burdens on family carers by supporting them in the provision of care and/or compensating for the adverse socio-economic consequences of care-giving.

Ageism (Radio 4 series: Woman's Hour)

This episode of Radio 4's Woman's Hour series looks at ageism including why, with such a good economic case for making sure people over 50 are in employment, prejudice against this age group is such a growing problem. Host Jenni Murray finds out if it’s harder to find employment if you’re a woman over 50 than a man, asks what we can do to stop this trend and debates whether we should we be treating ageism like sexism and racism.

Ageism, Age Discrimination and Social Exclusion

In this learning object you are asked to consider issues which are central to understanding the experience of ageing and older age in contemporary society. Ageism, age discrimination and social exclusion diminish the quality of life which older people may enjoy. They also threaten their mental health. In spite of their negative effect on the daily lives of older people, however, ageism and age discrimination are often unrecognised, ignored, or even compounded in health and social care settings.

Older people’s attitudes to automatic awards of Pension Credit

This research looks at older people’s attitudes to the principle of automating parts of the Pension Credit awards process. Three key advantages to automation are highlighted: its capacity to raise awareness of entitlement, its ability to reduce perceptions of stigma, and its convenience. Although the study also reveals concerns about automation, such as privacy, these were rarely felt to be insurmountable and the advantages were generally thought to outweigh them.

Improving care in residential care homes: a literature review (summary report)

This review by a team from the University of Warwick and University of the West of England, with support from the University of York, examines research evidence available to support improved care for older people in residential homes. The review explores seven themes: residents' and relatives' views on care; clinical areas for improvement; medication in care homes; medical input into care homes; nursing care in care homes; interface between care homes and other services; care improvement in care homes.