The Older People’s Inquiry into ‘that bit of help’

Funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Aims for today

• Why & how it came into existence

• Timescale

• How it did its work

• Key recommendations

HOW THE INQUIRY CAME TO EXIST

• Steering Group of the Older People’s Programme

• Commissioned in 2003

• January 2004 –June 2005

MEMBERS OF THE INQUIRYMalcolm Dean ChairStan Davison Deputy

Vera Bolter Gisela Feldman David Johnson Harold JonesAnn MacfarlaneImogene MartinNell McFaddenDorothy RunniclesTom ShepherdBrenda Williams Gloria Williams

Jane Carrier (Audit Commission)

Melanie Henwood (Consultant)

Glenys Jones (ADSS) Catherine Mangan (LGA)Simon Northmore (Age

Concern)Tom Owen (Help the Aged)Edna Robinson (NatPACT)Ken Spencer (Foundations) Alec O’Neil (JRF)

MEMBERS OF THE SECRETARIAT

• Professor Norma Raynes

• Dr Jennifer Beecham

• Dr Heather Clark

• Yvonne Jones

• Juliet Crissell

• Kezia Barker

PURPOSE OF THE INQUIRY

TO:

• Consider the support older people want

• Look at a range of options for developing low level support

• Inform policy and practice development

• Contribute to development of a consensus

WHAT THE INQUIRY DID

Held 4 meetings: September 2004-June 2005

1 Policy papers, terms of reference, name change, commissioned search for examples2 Booklet One: Services

Booklet Two: Design and AT examples3 Reviewed & prioritised costed examples 4 Considered draft report & dissemination strategy, reported on site visits

BOOKLET 1: Services contributing ‘that bit of help’

• 302 Primary Care Trusts

• 388 Local Authorities

• 357 local newspapers

• National sheltered housing newsletter

• All major Older People’s organisations

• Websites BME and Faith organisations

• Major supermarkets & stores

RESPONSES • Came in variety of forms

• 12% of LA ( 46 ) & 15% (46) of PCTs replied

• 80 newspapers published ‘dear editor’ letter• 52 people sent letters

• Produced 1072 examples

NOTEWORTHINESS

• The service was a good or unusual way or atypical of providing a “that bit of help” (Clark, H., Dyer, S. & Horwood, J. 1998)

• mapped onto one or more of the 7 areas identified by older people as important in promoting their independence (Audit Commission 2004)

BOOKLET 2: Design and AT Contributions to Independence

Web based searches of design organisations

SECOND MEETING OF THE INQUIRY

The Inquiry Members

reviewed & debated

• Booklet 1 (services)• Booklet 2 (design&

AT)

SECOND MEETING OF THE INQUIRY

• Need national support and funding for Inclusive design approaches & AT

• Selected examples to be costed

SERVICES PROVIDING THAT BIT OF HELP

• Annual accounts and other data obtained

• Average revenue costs+ capital costs+ support costs

• Unit costs calculated

THE BAKER’S DOZENin priority order

• Handy help• Welcome Home• Help at home • Primary Night Care• Befriending service• Sole mates• Cinnamon Trust

• Digging deep • RISE• S.M.I.L.E• Social & activity

centre• Keeping in touch• An ideal retail store

& supermarket

HANDY HELP

• Handy-person employed through local HIA

• Small maintenance jobs usually completed in one visit

• Charge for visit

It makes a difference:

High levels of satisfaction

Recommend to others

WELCOME HOME

• Trained volunteers help people return home after hospital.

• Shopping, tidying up, turning on heating, sorting post, etc.

• Return on second day to check all OK.

• Refer on to social services

• No charge

It makes a difference :

Maintain independence & social support from familiar face

HELP AT HOME

CleanChange bed linenIronShopCollect pensions

Familiar face

Charge per visit

PRIMARY NIGHTCARE

• Assessed need • Pop in through the

night • Emergency calls

also taken • Staff can contact

nursing service • Charge payable

It makes a difference:

I could not manage without it

BEFRIENDING SERVICE

• Trained volunteers

• Manager visits & volunteer & client matched

• Posts letters

• Go for walks

• Shop together

• Write letters

SOLEMATES

• Podiatrists trained volunteers

• Foot bath massage and toe-nail cutting

• Same volunteer visits every 6-8 weeks

CINNAMON TRUST

National charity

• Helps people care for their pets.

• Short and long-term fostering.

• Two sanctuaries

DIGGING DEEP

• Led by 35 older volunteers

• Allotments for 12 primary schools

• According to teachers:positive changes in children’s knowledge, attitude & motivation towards fruit and vegetables are already visible.

It makes a difference:

Learn new skills, use old ones, satisfaction

Survey of needs found isolated older people

• Transport to lunch-club

• Activities & outings

• Home visits

R.I.S.E.

S.M.I.L.E

Access to exercise and leisure

• Clubs for beginners

• home workout

• half-century clubs

• health MOT

• postural stability

• walking clubs

WIMBLEDON GUILD ACTIVITY & SOCIAL CENTRE

• In town centre providing a variety of services : classes, bingo, film shows, lunch club

• Encourages use by other organisations

KEEPING IN-TOUCH.

• ‘On Call’ volunteers will help people with visual impairment with small practical tasks

• Shopping, colour matching cothes, food labelling

• Small membership fee.

AN IDEAL SUPERMARKET & DEPARTMENT STORE

• Accessible: auto doors & ramps

• Seating or prompt provision of

• Free delivery service: 30 miles

• Restaurant facility

• Accessible well lit toilets

• Advice shopping, services • Collection points for shopping • Web- based ordering service

SELECTED SERVICES

• Thirteen costed schemes prioritised

• Help older people remain independent & stay in their own homes

• Creative mixes of funding sources

• Many managed by voluntary organisations

• Substantial volunteer input

VALUE FOR MONEY? BENEFICIAL EFFECT?

• 2 Schemes evaluated

• 8 schemes –user feedback

THE REPORT

• Produced by older people and senior members of national organisations

• Identifies a costed and prioritised Bakers dozen examples of ‘that bit of help’

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS• Future developments to involve older

people and commissioners-process matters

• The prioritised Baker’s dozen with their costs

• Imperative to evaluate effect on wellbeing & quality of life

• National support needed for inclusive design and AT developments

PROCESS IN PRACTICE: WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN?

• Recommendations produced by older people & senior members of national organisations

• All members voices, votes, views carried the same weight

PROCESS IN PRACTICE: WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN?

• Strong direction & involvement BY older people

• Resourced and enabled

• Many of the ‘Baker’s Dozen’ involve older people

PROCESS IN PRACTICE: WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN?

• A model for working together

• To produce valued services- The Baker’s dozen

• Services seen to promote independence

INVOLVING OLDER PEOPLE TO IMPROVE SERVICES

• Being involved from start to finish

• Engaged in agenda setting

• Resourced & planned to enable involvement

• Sufficient numbers involved-1/3• Potential for action

POLICY CONTEXT

‘Unless programmes or strategies about older people have the fullest possible involvement of older people in their development, they are very unlikely to stand the test of time’(Older People’s Steering Group, 2004)

FURTHER INFORMATION

Publication May 2006

Good Practice Fair July 2006