Funded by National Institute for Health Research, School for Social Care Research. The aim of the project is to explore the current role and models of collective day services for older people (65+) in England. By collective day services we mean services provided outside of a person’s home in a group setting, for example, day centres that provide opportunities for socialisation and involvement in activities such as exercise or arts and crafts. We are particularly interested in examples of innovative day service provision, such as intergenerational day services, skills exchange, wellbeing hubs, integrated health and social care services, and those with a focus on inclusive practice.
Day services for older people in England are often seen as outdated and unattractive to potential users. Policy makers have consistently prioritised the importance of all social care services being personalised around the needs of individuals rather than providing services directly to groups of older people. However, there is growing recognition that many older people would welcome the opportunity to attend day services if they were available. In addition, there is increasing awareness that collective forms of day service provision have the potential to address the needs of some older people more appropriately, for example older people experiencing isolation or living with complex, multiple health conditions. There is also a need for day services to be more inclusive of the needs and aspirations of all older people.
Our overarching aims are to:
- Establish trends and patterns over time in the provision and use of local authority funded collective forms of day service provision
- Determine the key predictors of use and frequency of use of day services, and personal (subjective) wellbeing of users of day services over time
- Explore innovative models of local authority funded provision by undertaking in-depth case studies in 8-10 local authorities
- Identify the strengths and weaknesses of these models including the impact they have on personal wellbeing outcomes, and identify the wider implications these have for policy and practice
- Contribute to broader discussions about the role of local authority funded day services in meeting policy objectives across the social care and health sectors, including their role in the post COVID-19 social care landscape
The study will have two elements: an analysis of trends in provision and uptake over time and in-depth qualitative research to explore different models of day service provision, including their impact on health and wellbeing outcomes for service users, as well as a costing exercise. A key aim of the project is to provide evidence to inform debates about the current role, and potential role, of day services for older people in the provision of social care in England, as well as highlighting innovative practice, to contribute to ensuring that planning and commissioning decisions are informed by the evidence base as well as addressing older people’s aspirations for services.
The project team includes partners from Bristol City Council, Age UK and BS3 Community Development, a charity founded in 1991 to improve the lives of people living in BS3 and the surrounding area that runs two community venues in Bristol.
The study is led by Prof Ailsa Cameron.