1. Older people in the UK
Brunel University

2. Background
“Putting older people at the heart of what we
do” - WRVS
Policy agenda – more responsive services
Over the past decade – increasing emphasis
on user voices
Calls for more control and choice
Older people asserting their voices to be
active participants in policy formation and
service delivery

3. Why involve older people in
research?
As a matter of human rights
Older people have a right to be consulted
p p g
and involved in research that is being
conducted on them
Because it makes good practical sense
If we want to work to improve older people’s
people s
lives then we need to find out what they
understand by well-being

4. Aims of the research
This project will support older people to:
Define well-being and measures of their well-being;
Identify innovative ways for older people individually
and collectively to improve their own well-being;
Provide the id
P id th evidence b base and t l needed f
d tools d d for
WRVS and other providers to transform the support
they offer to improve older people s well-being;
people’s
To put well-being, as defined by older people, at the
centre of the work of providers, commissioners and
policy makers

5. Our Philosophy/approach
Human rights
Social model
Participation and partnership
Well-being as a dynamic and subjective
process
Research for change

6. Research questions
How
Ho can older people be more acti el in ol ed
actively involved
in improving their well-being?
How do older people understand their well-being?
What do they see as most effectively maximising it?
What do they see as key barriers in the way of it?
the ke a
How might these be overcome?
How ca we be inclusive o o de peop e with d e se
o can e c us e of older people diverse
needs?
What part can older people play supporting one
another s well being
another’s well-being - individually and collectively?

7. Participation
staff recruitment
recr itment
setting the parameters of the research
designing the research
selecting the local projects
developing the local projects
information collection
analysis of findings
y g
evaluating findings amongst their peers and
within their wider communities
reporting, communicating and di
i i i d disseminating.
i i

8. Groups
Older People’s Reference Group
Research Project group
Research group
Partners group

9. Phase One – development of well-
being indicators
UK wide consultation
Focus groups and interviews
Analysis and development of indicators
Verified by further focus groups
Criteria for selection of pilot sites

10. Phase Two
Selection of 5 WRVS projects
Consider and decide ways of maximising their
well-being
Build on links between groups within
community
Mutual benefit
Peer to peer support
Recruitment of sessional workers
Outcomes

11. Phase three
Local activities in the 5 local sites
Supported by sessional workers
pp y
Older people’s participation in improving their
own well being
well-being
Mutuality
Capacity building

12. Phase 4 Dissemination and
action
Practical - WRVS
Transformational
Wide dissemination

13. How can you help?
Thanks to those who have helped already
Infrastructure for managing and
g g
administering the project
Getting the message out to WRVS staff and
volunteers
Gaining access to older people (users,
(users
volunteers and carers)
Publicity for the project and findings
Working with policy makers
Talk to me

14. Contact details
Martin Hoban:
@ g
martin.hoban@wrvs.org.uk
Tel: 07714 898685