A paper examined changes in local spending on, and provision of, adult social care in England between 2005-06 and 2012-13. It indicated that there had been significant, and almost certainly unprecedented, reductions in spending and service provision, particularly for older people. It noted some caveats about the data.
Source: Jose-Luis Fernandez, Tom Snell, and Gerald Wistow, Changes in the Patterns of Social Care Provision in England: 2005/6 to 2012/13, Discussion Paper 2867, Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent/London School of Economics
Links: Paper | Care and Support Alliance press release
Date: 2013-Dec
An article examined how individual budgets for adult social care impacted on carers and the caring role in England and Wales. It said that receipt of the individual budget had positive impacts on carers' reported quality of life and on social care outcomes.
Source: Karen Jones, Ann Netten, Parvaneh Rabiee, Caroline Glendinning, Hilary Arksey, and Nicola Moran, 'Can individual budgets have an impact on carers and the caring role?', Ageing and Society, Volume 34 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Dec
A study examined loneliness and isolation among older people in North Yorkshire, England. It mapped the organizations that could identify people at risk, and considered the range of activities that existed to address the issue. The report said that the future of providers was often uncertain and predictions of the future service landscape were difficult. The report recommended the development of impact measures, and that statutory agencies should make formal commitments to services to ensure continuity.
Source: Sylvia Bernard and Hannah Perry, Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older People in North Yorkshire: Stage 2 of project commissioned by North Yorkshire Older People s Partnership Board, Social Policy Research Unit (University of York)
Date: 2013-Dec
A report examined the experiences of older people in care homes and hospitals, primarily in England and Wales. It examined the provision of care, and the steps that could be taken to help prevent the mistreatment of staff, residents and patients. It said that older people received good and excellent care, but it sometimes suffered from a lack of resources, poor organization, and environmental risks. It said many care staff worked in stressful conditions, but that some showed disrespectful and patronizing attitudes towards older people. The report made recommendations.
Source: Carol Lupton and Clare Croft-White, Respect and Protect: The experience of older people and staff in care homes and hospitals, Comic Relief
Links: Report | Summary | Comic Relief press release | UEA press release | CQC press release
Date: 2013-Dec
The Care Bill was given a second reading. The Bill was designed to:
Introduce a cap on the cost of social care in England, and give carers the legal right to support from their local council.
Provide protection to people whose care provider went out of business.
Set out provision for local authorities to assess the care and support needs of children, and young carers, who may need support after they reach the age of 18, to facilitate the transition to adult social care.
Set out entitlements to personal care budgets and provisions for deferred payments for care.
Introduce a rating system for hospitals and care homes, and give new powers of intervention to the chief inspector of hospitals.
Create two new public bodies, Health Education England and the Health Research Authority, designed to provide additional training and support for health professionals.
Source: Care Bill, Department of Health, TSO | Debate 16 December 2013, columns 487-580, House of Commons Hansard, TSO
Links: Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | HoC briefing paper | Summary | Carers UK briefing
Date: 2013-Dec
An article presented a local case study of working carers. Three-quarters of all carers who responded to the survey were of working age: two-thirds were employed, and one-third had been employed previously. The majority of working carers were mid-life extra-resident women. Over one-half of cared-for relatives were elderly parents/parents in law, with physical illness as the primary cause of dependency. One-tenth provided intensive care, and half reported that caring adversely affected their health: both were triggers for leaving employment.
Source: Alisoun Milne, Charlotte Brigden, Ann Palmer, and Elina Konta, 'The intersection of employment and care: evidence from a UK case study', European Journal of Social Work, Volume 16 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Dec
A report evaluated The Silver Line telephone helpline for older people in the United Kingdom. It said there was a need for the service, and that The Silver Line should work with local authorities to ensure appropriate support provision in all areas.
Source: Samantha Callan, When I Get Off the Phone I Feel Like I Belong to the Human Race : Evaluation of The Silver Line helpline pilots, Centre for Social Justice
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Nov
An article examined the use of professional discretion in reviews of older people's care home placements. The article was set in the context of the policy literature on street-level bureaucracy. It said that the exercise of discretion was multi-layered and dispersed among multiple stakeholders. This blurred the lines of accountability and made it more difficult to empower older care home residents.
Source: Peter Scourfield, 'Even further beyond street-level bureaucracy: the dispersal of discretion exercised in decisions made in older people's care home reviews', British Journal of Social Work, Online first
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Nov
A report examined the effects of the government's plans for reform on the role of care funding 'top-ups' and the rules applied to them. It noted that existing rules on top-ups were poorly and inconsistently applied and that the proposed changes would have budget implications for local authorities and care providers. The report recommended that the government should: do more to ensure that local authorities and residential care providers applied rules appropriately; apply the existing top-up rules to the proposed new self-funded top-ups; and review public spending projections and allocations.
Source: James Lloyd, Short Changed: The Care Bill, top-ups and the emerging crisis in residential care funding, Independent Age
Links: Report | Independent Age press release
Date: 2013-Nov
An article examined the progress of Loneliness Harms Health, a series of local campaigns to address loneliness among older people through targeting health and well-being boards. It discussed how evidence-based campaigning influenced newly formed boards, and identified implications for commissioner and provider practice.
Source: Anna Goodman and Marianne Symons, 'Evidence-based campaigning on loneliness in older age: an update from the Campaign to End Loneliness', Working with Older People, Volume 17 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Nov
An article examined adult protection referrals for older people over an 8-year period in two English local authorities. Older people were at particular risk of multiple and physical abuse. Those living alone were especially vulnerable to financial abuse, and those living in a care home to multiple abuse.
Source: Alisoun Milne, Paul Cambridge, Julie Beadle-Brown, Jim Mansell, and Beckie Whelton, 'The characteristics and management of elder abuse: evidence and lessons from a UK case study', European Journal of Social Work, Volume 16 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Oct
A survey examined attitudes to homecare. It found that time constraints, low pay, and lack of training for frontline staff were considered to be key challenges facing care workers in England. The most important factors for good care were identified as sufficient time, friendly, respectful, capable care workers, and choice about services. The main challenges identified for care providers included council commissioning and a shortage of care workers.
Source: Louise Wheeler and Stuart Newstead, Attitudes to Homecare in England, Department of Health
Links: Report | DH press release | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Oct
A report by the equality and human rights watchdog examined the responses of local authorities in England to a previous report (published in November 2011) into the human rights of older people receiving home care. The work was informed by an online survey of local authorities, the results of which were published alongside the report.
Source: , Close to Home Recommendations Review, Equality and Human Rights Commission | Lorna Adams, Christoph Koerbitz, Liz Murphy, and Mark Tweddle, Older People and Human Rights in Home Care: Local authority responses to the Close to home inquiry report, Research Report 89, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report | Summary | EHRC press release | Research report | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Oct
A report examined the current role and practice of hospice care, and the issues faced by the sector, making recommendations for change.
Source: Commission into the Future of Hospice Care, Future Ambitions for Hospice Care: Our mission and our opportunity – the final report of the Commission into the Future of Hospice Care, Help the Hospices
Links: Report | NCPC press release | Age UK press release | BBC report
Date: 2013-Oct
An article examined how three local authorities in England facilitated personalized home care for older people, and how changes in approach were experienced by support planners and home care agency managers. The paper concluded that, overall, the changes appeared to be well intended, but the practicalities of implementing them raised challenges that meant objectives might not always be achieved.
Source: Kate Baxter, Parvaneh Rabiee, and Caroline Glendinning, 'Managed personal budgets for older people: what are English local authorities doing to facilitate personalized and flexible care?', Public Money and Management, Volume 33 Issue 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Oct
A think-tank study examined strategies and approaches to care co-ordination for people with age-related chronic and complex needs and made observations on policy translation.
Source: Nick Goodwin, Lara Sonola, Veronika Thiel, and Dennis Kodner, Co-ordinated Care for People with Complex Chronic Conditions: Key lessons and markers for success, King s Fund
Links: Report | Kings Fund press release
Date: 2013-Oct
An article examined how three local authorities in England had tried to facilitate personalized home care for older people through changes in commissioning and market development activities; and how these changes had been experienced by support planners and home care agency managers. Overall, it appeared that changes were well intended: but the practicalities of implementing them raised some challenges that meant that desired objectives might not always be achieved.
Source: Kate Baxter, Parvaneh Rabiee, and Caroline Glendinning, 'Managed personal budgets for older people: what are English local authorities doing to facilitate personalized and flexible care?', Public Money and Management, Volume 33 Issue 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Sep
An article examined the conditions under which older people in European countries benefited more from having family resources. It said that the presence of intimate family ties (with partner and children) was an important resource for achieving psychological well-being. Partner resources were more important for the life satisfaction of older people with a low education and health problems. Similarly, having children only improved the life satisfaction of lower-educated older adults. However, family resources were not more important for older people with fewer material resources or for older people living in countries with low services levels targeted at older adults.
Source: Nienke Moor, Paul de Graaf, and Aafke Komter, 'Family, welfare state generosity and the vulnerability of older adults: a cross-national study', Journal of Aging Studies, Volume 27 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Sep
The older people's watchdog for Wales examined older people's experiences of the barriers they faced across many areas of their lives, including a lack of community facilities such as public seating and public toilets, poor transport, and difficulties accessing a range of help and support.
Source: 'A Thousand Little Barriers', Older People s Commission for Wales
Links: Report | OPCW press release
Date: 2013-Aug
The Welsh Government began consultation on proposals to promote more integrated health and social care for older people with complex needs.
Source: A Framework for Delivering Integrated Health and Social Care for Older People with Complex Needs, Welsh Government
Links: Consultation document | Welsh Government press release
Date: 2013-Jul
A report said that some families ended up subsidizing elderly relatives care home fees because local councils in England did not give them the advice and support that they were legally obliged to provide. Councils were required to check that so-called 'top-up payments' paid by relatives to improve the quality of council-funded care were voluntary and that families could afford to pay them: but most did not carry out these checks properly.
Source: Anna Passingham, James Holloway, and Simon Bottery, Care Home Top-Up Fees: The Secret Subsidy, Independent Age
Links: Report | IARS press release | Community Care report
Date: 2013-Jul
An article examined the dominant ways in which well-being had been conceptualized and researched within social policy, focusing in particular on the significance of this for policy relating to older people. It critically explored normative notions of independence, autonomy, and consumerism at the heart of policy on well-being and ageing; and suggested that indexes of older people's happiness concealed more than they revealed. Keeping well in old age involved demanding emotional and organizational labour both for older people and for family and friends. There was a need for ethical and relational sensibilities at the heart of policy on well-being and ageing.
Source: Marian Barnes, David Taylor, and Lizzie Ward, 'Being well enough in old age', Critical Social Policy, Volume 33 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jul
A report examined an alternative to home care and residential care for people in need of support, known as 'shared lives', in which carers shared their lives and often their homes with those whom they supported. The report looked at which groups of people would benefit most from this form of support, and for whom it would be more cost-effective than other forms of care.
Source: Richard Todd and Ben Williams, Investing in Shared Lives, Social Finance
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jul
A report examined the importance of good-quality relationships in later life. It said that not enough was being done to support older people to strengthen their relationships.
Source: Ellen Harries and Lucy de Las Casas, Who Will Love Me, When I m 64? The importance of relationships in later life, Relate/New Philanthropy Capital
Links: Report | Relate press release | BBC report
Date: 2013-Jun
A think-tank report said that the social care system needed radical reform in order to ensure genuine choice and empowerment for older people. 'Demand-side' reforms such as direct payments did not on their own result in a change of provision in the care and support market. Providers of care and support should develop new approaches that were better aligned with people's relationships. Public services needed to help foster a wider sense of shared responsibility and reciprocity in all that they did. Individual choice and control were vital: but being able to act collectively brought people more real power than acting alone.
Source: Alex Fox, Putting People into Personalisation: Relational approaches to social care and housing, ResPublica
Links: Report | ResPublica press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2013-Jun
A study found that although traditional services for older people addressed important practical needs, they could also encourage passivity and dependence. An 'involvement-led' approach to working with older people helped to enhance social and personal well-being.
Source: Martin Hoban, Vicki James, Peter Beresford, and Jennie Fleming, Involving Older Age: The route to twenty-first century well-being, Shaping our Age (Royal Voluntary Service/Centre for Citizen Participation/Centre for Social Action)
Links: Report | RVS press release | DMU press release | NCF press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Jun
A paper called for a national strategy to strengthen marriage and other relationships that could improve the quality of life for older people, countering isolation and loneliness. Family breakdown loosened the bonds of responsibility and made it less likely that adult children would feel that they should care for ageing parents. Community-based approaches, such as 'buddying' schemes, could replicate the care previously provided by family and friends, and bridge the gap between professional and personal relationships.
Source: Samantha Callan, Strengthening Relationships to Prevent Isolation and Loneliness in Old Age, Hanover Housing Association
Links: Paper | Inside Housing report
Date: 2013-Jun
An article described a European project to develop a way of analyzing long-term care and its links with the health and social care systems, and with formal and informal care.
Source: Jenny Billings, 'The INTERLINKS framework for long-term care of older people in Europe', Journal of Integrated Care, Volume 21 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jun
The Welsh Government published a strategy for older people for the period 2013–2023. It said that the strategy was designed to ensure that older people had the resources they needed to participate fully in society, including contributing to community and family life, influencing decisions, and having their needs met.
Source: The Strategy for Older People in Wales 2013–2023, Welsh Government
Links: Strategy | Welsh Government press release | CHC press release
Date: 2013-May
An article examined the impact and outcomes for older people of individual budget (IB) pilot projects in England (2005 2007). Older people spent their IBs predominantly on personal care, with few resources left for social or leisure activities. They had higher levels of psychological ill-health, lower levels of well-being, and worse self-perceived health than older people in receipt of conventional services. Potential advantages of IBs included increased choice and control, continuity of care worker, and the ability to reward some family carers: but older people reported anxieties about the responsibility of organizing their own support and managing their budget. For older people to benefit fully from cash-for-care schemes they needed sufficient resources to purchase more than basic personal care, and access to help and advice in planning and managing their budget.
Source: Nicola Moran, Caroline Glendinning, Mark Wilberforce, Martin Stevens, Ann Netten, Karen Jones, Jill Manthorpe, Martin Knapp, Jose-Luis Fernandez, David Challis, and Sally Jacobs, 'Older people's experiences of cash-for-care schemes: evidence from the English individual budget pilot projects', Ageing and Society, Volume 33 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-May
A report said that thousands of older people were being unnecessarily socially excluded through lack of suitable transport services. It highlighted the devastating impact that cuts to these services had on older people's sense of happiness and well-being.
Source: Going Nowhere Fast: Impact of inaccessible public transport on wellbeing and social connectedness of older people in Great Britain, WRVS
Links: Report | WRVS press release
Date: 2013-Mar
The inspectorate for healthcare and social care published its first dedicated reviewed of privacy, dignity, and nutrition in care homes and hospitals in England. Although most older people were having their needs met, a number of hospitals and care homes needed to make improvements.
Source: Time to Listen in NHS Hospitals: Dignity and nutrition inspection programme 2012, Care Quality Commission | Time to Listen in Care Homes: Dignity and nutrition inspection programme 2012, Care Quality Commission
Links: Report (NHS) | Report (care homes) | CQC press release | Labour Party press release | NHS Confederation press release | RCN press release | BBC report | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Mar
A report examined the key issues affecting people with dementia living in care homes. 80 per cent of people living in care homes more than ever thought before had either dementia or severe memory problems. Although excellent care existed, fewer than one-half of them were enjoying a good quality of life.
Source: Chris Quince, Low Expectations: Attitudes on choice, care and community for people with dementia in care homes, Alzheimer's Society
Links: Report | Alzheimers Society press release | LGA press release | RCN press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Feb
The Welsh Government responded to a report by an Assembly Committee on residential care for older people. It said that its Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill was designed to give older people better control over their lives. There would also be a stronger emphasis on early intervention and prevention, and on independence rather than dependence.
Source: Written Response by the Welsh Government to the Report of the Health and Social Care Committee Entitled Residential Care for Older People in Wales, Welsh Government
Links: Response
Notes: AM report (December 2012)
Date: 2013-Feb
A think-tank report (edited by a former minister in the coalition government) called for the winter fuel payment to be taken away from most pensioners, and for the money saved to be used to pay for a cap on long-term care costs.
Source: Paul Burstow (ed.), Delivering Dilnot: Paying for elderly care, CentreForum
Links: Report | CentreForum press release | Alzheimers Society press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Inside Housing report | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Jan
A briefing paper presented the main results and policy implications of a research project that considered the future of long-term care for elderly people in Europe. It explored how need, demand, supply, and use of long-term care would develop, and how different systems of care performed.
Source: Esther Mot and Peter Willeme, Assessing Needs of Care in European Nations, Policy Brief 14, European Network of Economic Policy Research Institutes
Links: Brief
Date: 2013-Jan
A report reviewed the evidence from key research on the implementation and uptake of personal budgets and direct payments for older people (including those with dementia) in England.
Source: Sarah Carr, Improving Personal Budgets for Older People: A research overview, Social Care Institute for Excellence
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jan
An article examined how alternative assumptions on care home fees in England (following anticipated reforms) affected projected public costs and financial gains to residents. Raising the local authority fee rate to maintain income per resident would increase the projected public cost of the reforms by between 22 per cent and 72 per cent in the base year. It would reduce the average gain to care home residents by between 8 and 12 per cent. Raising post-reform fees for remaining self-funders, or requiring pre-reform self-funders to meet the difference between the local authority and self-funder fees, reduced the gains to residents by 28-37 per cent. For one reform, residents in the highest income quintile would face losses if the self-funder fee rose.
Source: Ruth Hancock, Juliette Malley, Raphael Wittenberg, Marcello Morciano, Linda Pickard, Derek King, and Adelina Comas-Herrera, 'The role of care home fees in the public costs and distributional effects of potential reforms to care home funding for older people in England', Health Economics, Policy and Law, Volume 8 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jan
A report examined attitudes to social care for older people in Northern Ireland, and considered the implications for future policy.
Source: Ann Marie Gray, Lizanne Dowds, and Paula Devine, Attitudes to Social Care for Older People in Northern Ireland, University of Ulster
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jan
An article examined the financial consequences for older people in Europe of private 'out-of-pocket' expenditure necessary to obtain healthcare and long-term care. Such expenditure was very common, and could have a significant impact on disposable income.
Source: Xenia Scheil-Adlung and Jacopo Bonan, 'Gaps in social protection for health care and long-term care in Europe: are the elderly faced with financial ruin?', International Social Security Review, Volume 66 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jan
A study examined the experiences of older people with high support needs who were involved in support arrangements based on mutuality and reciprocity.
Source: Helen Bowers, Sian Lockwood, Anita Eley, Angela Catley, Dorothy Runnicles, Marc Mordey, Sylvia Barker, Neil Thomas, Claire Jones, and Scott Dalziel, Widening Choices for Older People with High Support Needs, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Date: 2013-Jan