“WALK IN OUR SHOES – ACT ON OUR ISSUES”

Reshaping Care for Older People in Argyll and ButeIntergenerational work with communities

Stop Falling Start Saving Lives and Money

Costs to the individual

• Injury • Loss of confidence • Primary cause of death and disability in people over 75 (Gillespie et al

2012)

Costs to health and social care

• £6 million per day• £2.3 billion per year

Global Report on Falls the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2007)

• Awareness needs to be raised not only with older people but with health professionals, families and communities

Co-production

' one of the most talked about themes in public services and public policy around the world'

•Assets based approach

Coproduction - explicit commitment in UK healthcare policy• UK Government, Health and Social Care Act 2001, 2012• Scottish Executive, Public Involvement Framework, 2001• Department of Health, 2005, 2006• NICE 2008 • Assets based approaches, Scottish Government 2012

WHO 2012 • Exchange and application of knowledge by stakeholders will

strengthen health systems and improve health• Collaborative approaches accelerate benefits of global and

local innovation

Action research - a useful methodology to investigate co-production?

Key features of Action Research: • Iterative follows uncertain cyclical and dynamic process• Collaborative and participative • Solutions to practical problems AND development of theory• Data and information drawn from different sources• Self-critical and reflective practice by researcher • Subsequent cycles of action must unfold from initial cycles• Context dependent• Community and Organisational change

Falls Prevention – action research • Well established evidence base of effective evidence based

interventions for the prevention of falls in older people

• Evidence base has not been effectively transferred into practice

• Older people reject advice on reducing their falls risk

HEBS, 2003: NICE, 2004; Yardley et al, 2005; RCP, 2007; Gillespie et al., 2009; AGS/BGS, 2010; Goodwin et al., 2010; RCP, 2010; Gormley, 2011; Scottish Executive, 2012

Intergenerational practice

• Case study of the Islay work was included in new Govt Guidelines: Bringing Together Local Authorities and Intergenerational Practice in a Scottish Policy context

• challenge was to replicate the benefits across Argyll and Bute

Intergenerational work in Argyll and Bute• Utilise the Age Scotland Pack

• Replicate across Argyll

• Identify difficulties

• Interaction and understanding developed between generations

Lochgilphead• Intergenerational work

identified many issues

• AVA working with Argyll and Bute council street scene team to have a bench supplied

• Repair of the kerb at the MS centre by roads department

AVA working with the Mid Argyll Multiple Sclerosis Centre

Lochgilphead cont.

Case Study:COPD sufferer, severely restricted by lung capacity, some benches on street would increase his reach:

“It currently costs me 3 cups of tea in 3 different cafes to get to the chemist at the bottom of the street, that`s £6 each way!!”

Campbeltown• “rain stopped play”!

Walk had to be stopped short due to a torrential downpour

• In the short walk and talk, it was felt that putting these points on to paper as well as discussing was worthwhile

• Outcomes passed to community council

Dunoon

Issues identified:

•Potholes and kerbs•No seats in middle of town•No taxis at taxi rank in middle of town•Step in to Lloyds TSB•Bank of Scotland cash points

Dunoon – residents of Cragroy

Area surrounding this sheltered housing complex, concerns raised:

•Traffic, around complex•Road signs highlighting elderly crossing•On main road, to access promenade•Bus shelter seating•Seats on housing side of road

Helensburgh

Generations working together in Helensburgh

Issues of concern raised in Helensburgh:•Uneven surfaces and pot holes•Broken and wobbly paving stones•Obstructions on pavements•Dog fouling•Weeds, which as well as being unsightly can be a slip hazard when wet•Misuse of disabled parking bays

Results reported into Area Planning Group meeting and to Jo Cowan from Age Scotland for Visual Impairment Group meetings

ObanAVA with Oban and District Seniors Forum Members and Oban Youth Café Members

A one mile walk through the town ending at the local health centre

Issues raised:•Potholes•Uneven cobbles•Loose paving slabs

The young people hadn`t considered issues when people have mobility problems

A regular intergenerational soup group has now been established

The concerns will be raised at the Senior Forum to decide on actions required

What next?• On-going intergenerational walks

• A short film being made by Young Scot

• Addressing issues raised

• Maintaining links

• Age Scotland have launched the Walk in Our Shoes resource as an intergenerational tool

Participants

• Lochgilphead: Antonia Baird AVA and MS Centre• Oban: Maggie Dougall AVA, Oban & District Seniors Forum

and Oban Youth Café• Helensburgh: Alison Gildea AVA, Morvein Martin

Community Development worker, some young Timebank members and Grey Matters group

• Campbeltown: Clare Mead AVA and volunteers• Dunoon: Gwen Harrison AVA, Cragroy Sheltered Housing

tenants and volunteers