Suchergebnisse

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on the views and experiences of older people using Shared Lives (adult placement) in 2012/2013.


Design/methodology/approach
As part of a survey collecting information about outcomes for older users of Shared Lives issues of whether it had made a difference to quality of life, and positive and negative experiences of support were explored.


Findings
Questionnaires were returned by 150 older people using Shared Lives services. Findings suggest that this model of community-based support has a number of advantages for some older people, such as reducing social isolation and loneliness, promoting independence, choice and control, providing emotional support and increased well-being.


Research limitations/implications
The questionnaire was self-completed and so responses were not followed up to provide deeper insights.


Practical implications
Shared Lives is not appropriate for everyone but it is suggested that this option should form part of local commissioning strategies, be part of a range of options for social care practitioners to consider in their work with older people and helps to meet various current policy imperatives.


Originality/value
The potential of Shared Lives for older people is under-researched and this paper contributes to the literature in exploring the views of older people about family-based support in the community.

PurposeThis paper describes an evaluation of 19 extra care schemes allocated funding from the Extra Care Housing Fund.Design/methodology/approachInterviewers collected information about the expectations and experiences of 1,182 new residents, and demographic and care needs information for those who received a care assessment (817 individuals) to correspond to previous surveys of care homes. Follow‐up information was collected at six, 18 and 30 months. Comprehensive costs were estimated for individuals based on capital costs, care and support costs and living expenses.FindingsEntrants to extra care were much less physically and cognitively impaired, on average, than entrants to care homes, although residents in several schemes had high levels of physical disability. Overall, residents appeared to have made a positive choice to live in a more supportive and social environment ("pull" factors) rather than responding to a crisis ("push" factors). Outcomes, in terms of physical and cognitive functioning, for residents with similar characteristics to care home residents were better, and costs were no higher, while mortality rates were lower.Research limitations/implicationsOutcomes could not be measured for those who dropped out, and residents with deteriorating mental health were more likely to drop out.Practical implicationsExtra care can provide a positive option for people planning ahead, but appears to be less suitable for crisis moves. Further work is needed on supporting those who are more dependent.Social implicationsTo encourage downsizing, extra care needs to be sufficiently attractive to those making a lifestyle choice.Originality/valueThis was the first major study of costs and outcomes in extra care housing.