Search

Purpose – This paper's aim is to illustrate the importance of multigenerational activities within the social housing sector, and provide some examples of best practice. Design/methodology/approach – From the perspective of a social landlord (Peaks & Plains Housing Trust) the paper explains the importance of intergenerational practice and the role that social landlords can play in helping to build bridges between, and within, communities. Findings – The paper discusses some specific activities, including street soccer, a youth forum and a winter warmer event, that have engaged young people and multiple generations and provides some feedback to these. Originality/value – The paper gives some examples for best practice that can be used by other housing providers and community activists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing numbers of older migrants adopting a transnational lifestyle or returning to their country of origin following retirement, the sense of attachment to and identification with the places they inhabit remains an under explored field of enquiry. Through an ethnographic approach, this paper seeks to raise awareness of the diversity within a group of older migrants, given the heterogeneity of affective bonds established with places. By highlighting the perspective of older Italian migrants living in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, this paper illustrates the role of a sense of identification with the context of migration in later life. In referring to migration as a process of transformation, some older Italians re-define their identities, as these become interwoven with the characteristics of the places in which they grow older. However, older migrants' sense of attachment to places also reveals the complexity of aging in the context of migration, when a sense of identification with these is never fully achieved in older age. This paper argues that the notion of aging that these older Italian migrants uphold is not only altered by their experience of migration, but also shaped through their identification with the places they inhabit, given formal and informal practices of identification. Thus, by addressing the determinants for a positive experience of aging in the context of migration, this paper challenges the ways in which older migrant groups are conceptualized in gerontological scholarship., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose – The Ageing Well programme is designed to improve life for older people and works with councils to help them make better places for people to grow old in. The purpose of this paper is to look at the programme and the work being carried out. Design/methodology/approach – The paper talks about the programme's origins and purpose, the work it has been doing, and the legacy it will leave for councils to work well in the future. Findings – The programme has shown different councils face different issues within the ageing agenda, and therefore need different solutions. Councils need to engage with older people to support them fully and to embrace the ageing agenda. Practical implications – The programme is aimed at improving provision for older people in many areas. This work needs to continue despite the challenge local authorities face with budgets. Support from the Ageing Well programme has helped councils identify innovative ways to look at the ageing agenda and this needs to continue. Social implications – The programme encourages councils and the wider public to see older people in a more positive light. It helps to show older people as an asset to society, whether the economy or through volunteering and life experience, and helps councils really embrace making their area a better place in which to grow old. Originality/value – This paper will help councils which are not already working with the Ageing Well programme see its value and access its support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a UK older worker's perspective on the influences of multiple work and non-work related commitments on their decision to extend working lives or to retire. As demographic change and economic challenges related to the financing of health care and pension plans affect retirement policies, this paper seeks to explore the individual worker's perspective. Their choice is framed by seeking to balance financial security in later life with the positive elements of work and the desire to match work with other commitments, something hardly taken into consideration by employers. Design/methodology/approach – The paper combines findings from existing research studies and UK based, semi-structured interviews conducted as part of two ESF (European Social Fund) funded projects aiming at extending labour market participation for older workers. Key areas, such as retirement planning, training, flexibility and health are explored and the organisational identities/commitment literature provides a conceptual framework for understanding the push and pull factors associated with labour market exit among the over 50s. Findings – Fundamental to the success of changes in government pension policies in terms of extending labour market participation of older workers is the element of individual agency rather than a view of victimisation. Viewing older workers as the ones who have to pay for increasing life expectancy by working longer could lead to people staying in work for the wrong reasons, negatively affecting productivity and job satisfaction. The discussion and conclusion stress the need for deeper understanding of work as one contributor to overall quality of life. Originality/value – The political agenda to prolong working lives is principally driven by economic arguments. However, for any future policies to lead to an intrinsic motivation to want to remain in work, the voices of older workers express the desire to combine work with non-work related commitments and identities. Achieving such balance could benefit the whole labour force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

mcinnes e., seers k. & tutton l. (2011) Older people's views in relation to risk of falling and need for intervention: a meta-ethnography. Journal of Advanced Nursing 67(12), 2525-2536. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a meta-ethnography of qualitative studies of older peoples' views on risk of falling and need for intervention. Background. Falls and falls-related injuries in older people are worldwide problems. A conceptual understanding of older people's views about falls risk and need for intervention is useful for understanding factors likely to impact on acceptance of risk and recommended interventions. Data Sources. Seven electronic databases were searched 1999-2009. Reference lists of included articles were screened for eligible papers. Review Methods. Assessment of quality was carried out. Themes and concepts were extracted using a meta-ethnographic approach to compare similarities and differences across the retrieved studies. A line of argument was developed to produce an explanatory framework of the extracted themes and concepts. Results. Eleven relevant qualitative research articles of reasonable quality were identified. Six key concepts were identified: beyond personal control; rationalizing; salience; life-change and identity; taking control and self-management. A line of argument synthesis describes how older people approach self-appraisal of falls risk and intervention need, and how they cope and adapt to falls risk and intervention need. Conclusion. In response to having an elevated risk status and perceived associations with frailty and impact on an independent life-style, some prefer to adapt to this reality by taking control and implementing self-management strategies. Healthcare professionals should take into account beliefs about risk and negotiate choices for intervention, recognizing that some individuals prefer to drive the decision-making process to preserve identity as a competent and independent person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper describes the development of a novel mobile health (mHealth) educational intervention, called m2Hear, designed for first-time hearing aid users based on previously developed educational multimedia videos, or reusable learning objects (RLOs), branded C2Hear. Design: The development of m2Hear used theoretical and ecologically valid approaches. The COM-B model and associated Theoretical Domains Framework were employed to identify specific components (or "active ingredients") of the original RLOs that facilitate hearing aid use. An mHealth platform was then developed following an iterative, user-centred and participatory design approach. Study sample: Fifteen existing hearing aid users completed synchronous, real-time Think Aloud interviews. A sub-group of these participants (n = 5), along with patient and public involvement panel members (n = 4), subsequently reviewed the usability of the mHealth platform. Results: While factors associated with Capability featured strongly across all RLOs, topics relating to Opportunity and Motivation were also incorporated. The RLOs were broken-down into 42 shorter mobile-enhanced RLOs (or mRLOs). Each mRLO was labelled with a specific user-centred question generated from the Think Aloud interviews. The final mHealth platform was developed following four separate usability iterations. Conclusions: Overall, m2Hear provides greater opportunities for individualised learning and encourages greater interaction to facilitate self-management in first-time hearing aid users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess frailty, geriatric conditions and multimorbidity in people experiencing homelessness (PEH) using holistic evaluations based on comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and draw comparisons with general population survey data. Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sectional observational study conducted in a London-based hostel for single PEH over 30 years old in March–April 2019. The participants and key workers completed health-related questionnaires, and geriatric conditions were identified using standardised assessments. Frailty was defined according to five criteria in Fried's phenotype model and multimorbidity as the presence of two or more long-term conditions (LTCs). Comparisons with the general population were made using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and the Health Survey for England. Findings: A total of 33 people participated with a mean age of 55.7 years (range 38–74). Frailty was identified in 55% and pre-frailty in 39%. Participants met an average of 2.6/5 frailty criteria, comparable to 89-year-olds in the general population. The most common geriatric conditions were: falls (in 61%), visual impairment (61%), low grip strength (61%), mobility impairment (52%) and cognitive impairment (45%). All participants had multimorbidity. The average of 7.2 LTCs (range 2–14) per study participant far exceeds the average for even the oldest people in the general population. Originality/value: To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first UK-based study measuring frailty and geriatric conditions in PEH and the first anywhere to do so within a CGA-type evaluation. It also demonstrates the feasibility of conducting holistic evaluations in this setting, which may be used clinically to improve the health outcomes for PEH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frailty has recently emerged as a dominant concept against a backdrop of media and governmental narratives that frame the growing ageing population as an economic threat to the current configuration of health care in the United Kingdom (UK). Despite frailty's popularity amongst geriatricians and policy makers, the concept faces resistance from other health-care professionals and older people themselves. This paper draws on the Foucauldian idea of biopower; by suggesting that the contemporary emergence and utilisation of frailty represents a biopolitical practice a number or critical observations are made. First, despite biomedical experts acknowledging ambiguities in the definition of frailty, the concept is presented as a truth discourse. This is driven by the ability of frailty measurements to predict risk of costly adverse outcomes; the capability of frailty scores to enumerate complex needs; and the scientific legitimacy frailty affords to geriatric medicine. Consequently, frailty has become pervasive, knowable and measurable. Second, the routine delineation between frail and robust objectifies older people, and can be said to benefit those making the diagnosis over those being labelled frail, with the latter becoming disempowered. Last, studies show that frailty is associated with increasing wealth inequalities in the UK; however, experts' suggested management of frailty shifts the focus of responsibility away from ideologically driven structural inequalities towards the frail older person, attempting to encourage individuals to modify lifestyle choices. This neglects the association between lifestyle opportunities and socio-economic deprivation, and the impact of long-term poverty on health. These observations, set against the contemporary political climate of economic austerity, cuts to public services and rationalisation of health resources, bring the urgency of a critical consideration of frailty to the fore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of paper is to shine light on the under-theorised relationship between old age and victmisation. In classical criminological studies, the relationship between "age", victimisation and crime has been dominated by analysis of younger people's experiences. This paper aims to address this knowledge deficit by exploring older people's experiences by linking it to the social construction of vulnerability. Design/methodology/approach - The paper explores both historical and contemporary narratives relating to the diverse experiences of older people as victims in the UK. In particular, from 1945 to the present, statistical context and theoretical advancement illuminates that older people as a social group have a deep "fear of crime" to their relative victimisation. Findings - A careful survey of the criminological literature highlights a paucity of research relating to older people's views and experiences of crime and victimisation. The conceptual issue of vulnerability in different contexts is important in understanding ageing and victimisation in UK. The paper's findings illustrate that their experiences have remained marginalised in the debates around social policy, and how the criminal justice system responds to these changes remains yet to be seen. Research limitations/implications - Any research attempt at theorising "age' should take into consideration not just younger people, but also the diverse experiences of older people. Policy makers may care to ponder that benchmarks be written that takes into full consideration of older people's experiences as vulnerability. Practical implications - For criminal justice scholars and practitioners, there is a need to listen to the narratives of older people that should help shape and frame debate about their lived experiences. There should be an examination of existing formal and informal practices regarding elders, as the first step in developing an explicit and integrated set of policies and programmes to address the special needs of this group. Originality/value - This is an original paper in highlighting how important old age is in construction of "victims" in modern society. By theorising age, victimisation and crime it is hoped to dispel and challenge some of the myths surrounding later life, crime and the older victim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is currently known about the aging and later life experiences of older gay men in Britain. This paper seeks to broaden the gerontological understanding of aging for this hitherto invisible group. Using data generated from interviews with 15 homosexual men aged 57-84, the paper argues that traditionally recognized perceptions of aging and transitions from middle to old age are not necessarily reliable indicators of gay men's experiences. The signposts to aging discussed so far do not account for varied personal characteristics and backgrounds. The framework of aging reminders developed by Karp (2000) 1 is shown to be relevant to the perceptions of aging included in the data. However it is argued that these reminders are not necessarily evident just to people in their fifties, and that they may also be experienced in different ways. The paper develops Karp's model, deconstructing the reminders he introduced to show the variety of ages at which they become evident, the heteronormativity of the existing framework and how this can be reduced, the way reminders inter-connect, and how those relating to the body can usefully be subdivided to elucidate the number of different ways the body can be experienced, highlighting the transition to later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prison populations across the world are increasing. In the United Kingdom, numbers have doubled in the last two decades, and older prisoners now constitute the fastest growing section of the prison population. One key reason for this shifting prisoner demographic is the growing numbers of men convicted of 'historic' sexual offences, many of whom are imprisoned for the first time in old age, and housed in prisons not suited to their needs. These demographic changes have profound consequences, including increased demand for health and social care in prison, and rising numbers of anticipated deaths in custody. Using the findings from a recently completed study of palliative care in prison, this paper proposes that older prisoners face a 'double burden' when incarcerated. This double burden means that as well as being deprived of their liberty, older people experience additional suffering by not having their health and wellbeing needs met. For some, this double burden includes a 'de facto life sentence', whereby because of their advanced age and the likelihood that they will die in prison, they effectively receive a life sentence for a crime that would not normally carry a life sentence. There has been little popular or academic debate concerning the ethical and justice questions that this double burden raises. Drawing on the work of Wacquant and others, the paper proposes that these changes are best understood as unplanned but reasonably foreseeable consequences of neoliberal penal policies. Although the paper focuses on the UK (which by comparison with other European countries has high rates of imprisonment), many of the challenges discussed are emerging in other countries across the world. This paper illustrates starkly how neoliberal policies and discourses have shaped the expansion and composition of the prison population with its consequent implications for health and justice., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Our sense of belonging rarely stands still, yet the research literature has hitherto paid little attention to the temporal nature of belonging. Based on an analysis of 62 Mass Observation Project (MOP) accounts written by people living in the UK aged from their 20s to their 90s, this paper argues that as people age, how they locate belonging in time shifts. This has to do with changing concerns related to belonging, but also to metaphysical issues of temporality and mortality, namely how people experience their own finite lifetime. The paper thus offers an illustrative example of how time can be empirically researched in sociology, with a particular focus on the important role that the future plays in how people construct their 'functional present' (Mead ). The central argument put forward is that time itself can be an important source of belonging, but one that is unequally accessible to people of different ages because of contemporary cultural scripts that present life as a linear progression into the future and construct the future as a more meaningful temporal horizon than the past., (© London School of Economics and Political Science 2017.)

Background: legislation places an onus on local authorities to be aware of care needs in their locality and to prevent and reduce care and support needs. The existing literature overlooks ostensibly 'healthy' and/or non-users of specific services, non-health services and informal assistance and therefore inadequately explains what happens before or instead of individuals seeking services. We sought to address these gaps by exploring older adults' accounts of seeking assistance in later life., Methods: we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 40 adults aged 68-95. We invited participants to discuss any type of support, intervention, or service provision, whether medical, social, family-provided, paid or unpaid., Findings: this paper reports older people's accounts of how they evaluated their need for assistance. We found that the people in our sample engaged in a recursive process, evaluating their needs on an issue-by-issue basis. Participants' progression through this process hinged on four factors: their acknowledgement of decline; the perceived impact of decline on their usual activities and independence; their preparedness to be a recipient of assistance; and, the opportunity to assert their need. In lieu of seeking assistance, participants engaged in self-management, but also received unsolicited or emergency assistance., Conclusions: older people's adaptations to change and attempts to meet their needs without assistance mean that they do not present to services, limiting the local authority's knowledge of their needs and ability to plan appropriate services. Our findings offer four stages for policymakers, service providers and carers to target to address the uptake of assistance.

Background: Anxiety and depression are common among older people, with up to 20% reporting such symptoms, and the prevalence increases with co-morbid chronic physical health problems. Access to treatment for anxiety and depression in this population is poor due to a combination of factors at the level of patient, practitioner and healthcare system. There is evidence to suggest that older people with anxiety and/or depression may benefit both from one-to-one interventions and group social or educational activities, which reduce loneliness, are participatory and offer some activity. Non-traditional providers (support workers) working within third-sector (voluntary) organisations are a valuable source of expertise within the community but are under-utilised by primary care practitioners. Such a resource could increase access to care, and be less stigmatising and more acceptable for older people., Methods: The study is in three phases and this paper describes the protocol for phase III, which will evaluate the feasibility of recruiting general practices and patients into the study, and determine whether support workers can deliver the intervention to older people with sufficient fidelity and whether this approach is acceptable to patients, general practitioners and the third-sector providers. Phase III of the NOTEPAD study is a randomised controlled trial (RCT) that is individually randomised. It recruited participants from approximately six general practices in the UK. In total, 100 participants aged 65 years and over who score 10 or more on PHQ9 or GAD7 for anxiety or depression will be recruited and randomised to the intervention or usual general practice care. A mixed methods approach will be used and follow-up will be conducted 12 weeks post-randomisation., Discussion: This study will inform the design and methods of a future full-scale RCT., Trial Registration: ISRCTN, ID: ISRCTN16318986 . Registered 10 November 2016. The ISRCTN registration is in line with the World Health Organization Trial Registration Data Set. The present paper represents the original version of the protocol. Any changes to the protocol will be communicated to ISRCTN.

The aging of the population, together with the need for more inclusive and responsive policies and services, has contributed to a burgeoning interest in co-production and co-research with older people. To date, however, only a limited number of studies have addressed how the participation of older persons as research partners can be practically realized in community-based research. The purpose of this article is to provide insights into the process of co-producing a research project with older residents living in low-income neighborhoods in Manchester, United Kingdom. The project was unique in involving and training eighteen older people as co-researchers who took a leading role in all phases of a study aimed at developing "age-friendly" communities. The co-researchers also completed 68 interviews with residents aged 60 and over who were experiencing social isolation within their neighborhood. This paper describes the methodological approach developed for the study together with a description of the recruitment and training of co-researchers. It then presents findings based upon four reflection meetings with the co-researchers, focusing on their motivations for working on the project and their relationship with the interviewees. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for developing co-production work with older people in age-friendly research, policy and practice., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: This study is the first to systematically document histological features of fractures of known age in infants (≦12 months). It has been used to develop a tabulated database specifically to guide histopathologists to age fractures in children considered to have suffered accidental or non‐accidental injury (NAI). Currently in the United Kingdom there are insufficient pathologists with experience in histological ageing of fractures to meet the medicolegal need for this examination. This study provides a practical tool that will allow those skilled paediatric and forensic pathologists currently involved in assessing infants for evidence of accidental or non‐accidental injury a basis for extending their assessment into this area of unmet need. Methods and results: One hundred and sixty‐nine fractures of known age at death were obtained from 52 anonymised infants over a period of 32 years (1985–2016 inclusive). Sections stained using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Martius scarlet blue (MSB) were used to identify specific histological features and to relate them to fracture age. In 1999 the data were entered into a tabulated database for fractures accumulated between from 1985 to 1998 inclusive. Thereafter cases were added, and at 2‐yearly intervals the accumulated data were audited against the previous database and adjustments made. Conclusions: This paper describes the final data set from the 2017 audit. The study was terminated at the end of 2016, as there had been no material changes in the data set for three consecutive audits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is understood about social work students or social workers' perceptions of ageing in the UK. This paper presents a small-scale study of 20 master social work students' perceptions of ageing during the first year of their programme. A mixed method approach was employed over a two-staged research project, in both stages the social work students were asked to complete Kogan's attitudes towards older people scale (KATOPS) and draw a person aged 75. Results demonstrated that most students had neutral to positive attitudes towards older people at the beginning of the programme and these improved in stage two; all had positive attitudes. The drawings provided a visual narrative of their perceptions of older people; visual signifiers included physical signs of ageing. Fulfilment, emotion, family, individuality and appearance were emergent themes. Whilst the programme enhanced the students' perceptions more work is needed to dispel the myths and stereotypes about ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the role that grandparents play in family life in Britain today with a particular focus on demographic change and the grandparental caring contribution for both children and older adults. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing upon a wide range of sources the author sets out the context, recent demographic and economic trends and presents a way forward. Findings - The research presented in this paper suggests that grandparents are playing an increasingly important role in family life and their caring contribution makes a material difference to maternal employment rates in particular. It also suggests that those who step in to the parenting role face particular challenges which need to be addressed. Research limitations/implications - Further research into the significance of the grandparent/grandchild relationship is needed, together with the caring contribution of those who provide intensive support to families in times of crisis both in terms of the impact that has on the grandparents but also the difference it makes to parents and children. Practical implications - One key practical implication is the need for a formal childcare infrastructure in the UK which does not assume that grandparents will always be there to provide childcare for working parents on the scale they do today. Social implications - Grandparents are living longer so more of them will have longer-lasting relationships with their grandchildren. But mothers are also ageing and so gradually over time the age at which we become grandparents will also be pushed back. This may in turn mean that grandparents in 20 years time may be less involved in childcare in any case. Originality/value - This piece does not present new research but rather provides an overview of existing evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of social capital is widely used in the social sciences and has, to an extent, been applied to the lives and social networks of older lesbian, gay and bisexual (hereafter LGB) adults. Developing existing research, this paper argues that while not without its problems, the concept of social capital enriches our understanding of these networks, whilst simultaneously deconstructing the negative stereotypes surrounding homosexuality in later life. However, little attention has been paid to the social factors that mediate access and participation in lesbian and gay communities and the implications of this on the quality and experience of later life. Drawing on qualitative research conducted in the United Kingdom, this paper illustrates how biography, gender and socio-economic status are significant mediators in the development and maintenance of social capital by older LGB adults. It concludes with a set of recommendations aimed at improving the social capital of older LGB adults, together with the importance of ‘queering’ the concept itself. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The author expresses his opinion that there is a poorly developed intergenerational and lifespan strategic approach to gerontological nursing research. He reports the results of a database search he conducted in preparation for developing the cross-Council 'Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Research Strategy for Healthy Ageing in Great Britain.

Little is known about the perspectives of health-care workers when it comes to prolonging their working lives. This exploratory paper focuses on physiotherapists and aims to offer new insights into the underlying processes that may influence perceptions of ageing and how they impact on motivation to work longer. Data gathering took the form of focus groups with 43 National Health Service physiotherapists. A thematic analysis was used to characterise and articulate key concepts and meanings. The analysis applied interpretive techniques. The six headline themes to emerge were: worry over physical capability and ability to cope; the need to maintain a professional image; work, retirement and exit norms; beliefs about ageing; extrinsic job demands; organisational support – line management; and organisational support – career progression. The key findings suggest that the current unchanging context of high job demands is very salient, consequently resulting in negative and pessimistic feelings about capabilities when it comes to being an older worker and having an extended working life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the population continues to age and the incidence of dementia and associated costs increases, there will be a greater need for unpaid care with research suggesting that one in three of us will become a carer for someone with dementia during our lifetime. It is estimated that there are in excess of 700,000 people in the UK acting as primary unpaid carers for people living with dementia, all of whom make a substantial contribution to their care and support. Carers of people living with dementia can experience high levels of carer burden alongside poor health and wellbeing because of their caring roles. However, they may not identify themselves as carers or be recognised as such by health and social care professionals. Consequently, they may not have access to the support they need, thus identifying and valuing unpaid carers is the first step in supporting them. Community nurses are well placed to do this. This sixth paper relating to dementia considers the contribution of unpaid carers in the context of the families of Dhriti Singh and Gregory Brewin, who we have been following throughout this series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolomic age models have been proposed for the study of biological aging, however, they have not been widely validated. We aimed to assess the performance of newly developed and existing nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) metabolomic age models for prediction of chronological age (CA), mortality, and age‐related disease. Ninety‐eight metabolic variables were measured in blood from nine UK and Finnish cohort studies (N ≈31,000 individuals, age range 24–86 years). We used nonlinear and penalized regression to model CA and time to all‐cause mortality. We examined associations of four new and two previously published metabolomic age models, with aging risk factors and phenotypes. Within the UK Biobank (N ≈102,000), we tested prediction of CA, incident disease (cardiovascular disease (CVD), type‐2 diabetes mellitus, cancer, dementia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and all‐cause mortality. Seven‐fold cross‐validated Pearson's r between metabolomic age models and CA ranged between 0.47 and 0.65 in the training cohort set (mean absolute error: 8–9 years). Metabolomic age models, adjusted for CA, were associated with C‐reactive protein, and inversely associated with glomerular filtration rate. Positively associated risk factors included obesity, diabetes, smoking, and physical inactivity. In UK Biobank, correlations of metabolomic age with CA were modest (r = 0.29–0.33), yet all metabolomic model scores predicted mortality (hazard ratios of 1.01 to 1.06/metabolomic age year) and CVD, after adjustment for CA. While metabolomic age models were only moderately associated with CA in an independent population, they provided additional prediction of morbidity and mortality over CA itself, suggesting their wider applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to learn lessons from North America on housing an ageing population, both in terms of supporting people to "age in place", and available options for those who need/wish to move. The project, funded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, comprised a six-week travel fellowship to USA and Canada to meet with housing professionals from the public and private sectors and find out about best practice initiatives and efficient models for housing older people.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is in two parts, of which this is the second. Part 2 focuses on the links between housing and health and, recognising significant differences between the countries, draws out lessons which may be applied as similar challenges of austerity, an ageing population and the increasing interest in personal budgets are faced.Findings – There is no one size fits all approach to addressing the housing needs of the older population; a continuum of options across tenures is required. There are opportunities for growth in the private and non-profit sectors in terms of the provision of services for the ageing population. Large scale social change comes from better cross-departmental coordination and cannot be achieved by the isolated intervention of a single organisation. Originality/value – This was a unique opportunity to learn lessons from North America on how to effectively meet the needs of the older population, now and in the future. The findings are based on the personal observations and conclusions of a housing practitioner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper seeks to present findings from a review of hospital policies and practices in one NHS Trust in England. Design/methodology/approach – The focus of the review was hospital staff policy and practice in safeguarding the rights of vulnerable patients. A sample of staff was surveyed to investigate their knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in 2010. Interviews, incorporating discussion of a vignette, were undertaken with a range of staff and findings were analysed thematically. These findings are contextualised by an analysis of Trust policies and the wider literature. The findings of this case study are used to develop recommendations for the hospital and healthcare sectors. Findings – Analysis of survey data and interviews revealed limited confidence and knowledge about the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and uncertainties about its relevance to clinical practice. In relation to safeguarding, there was limited realisation of the potential of the Act to uphold the rights of patients lacking capacity and staff responsibilities. MCA training had not made a great impression; hospital policies were inconsistent and lacked coherence. Research limitations/implications – This case study was conducted in one Trust and may not be generalisable. Other hospitals may have different training, policy and procedure systems. Practical implications – The findings of this case study may be applicable to other hospitals and to other providers of health and social care services. The relevance of the MCA could be highlighted and used on several induction and training programmes. The study identifies features of policy and practice that could be investigated in other organisations. Originality/value – Few studies have investigated the operationalisation of the MCA in hospital settings. This study reveals that there are opportunities to refresh MCA and safeguarding training strategies for hospital staff but these should be accompanied by changes to culture and attention to the coherence of different procedures. Audits of MCA and safeguarding compliance can be undertaken within hospitals and a systems approach could be adopted to address any issues identified and to sustain good practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates representations of aging in contemporary British and Irish theatre. The turn towards portraits of female, as opposed to male, aging in theatre, popular television comedy, and literature is notable. It is the purpose of this paper, therefore, to excavate the politics that lie beneath this cultural development. While, of course, older women have long populated the stage, it is the contention of this article that it is recent years that one can witness a concern to stage particular aspects of the lived experiences of older women's lives in contemporary British and Irish society. Through an examination of stereotype, comedy, illness roles, acting, intergenerational heritage, tragedy, and politics, this paper seeks to better understand the politics of staging age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older people who live alone face particular challenges if they are to age and die well in the place and manner of their choosing. This discussion paper examines the experiences and needs of older people living alone towards the end of life. The paper focuses on the UK, given recent policy and service development initiatives there which emphasize home as a place of support and care; the promotion of independence; ensuring choice and decision making; and equity. These initiatives do not acknowledge diversity in the older population and make little provision to meet the specific needs that older people living alone may have as they approach the end of life. We identify three broader social factors that influence whether older people who live alone can remain at home until the end of their lives. The first factor is the physical environment; the second concerns their material environment; and the third relates to their social environment and their access to informal and formal care services. In future, palliative care research of relevance to older people should consider living arrangements as an important variable and be cognisant of the way in which wider social issues constrain the quality of end-of-life care that those living alone in older age receive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Research Centre for Occupation and Mental Health (RCOMH) was set up to develop world class research in occupation and mental health to influence best practice. This paper focuses on RCOMH as an international centre by exploring the drivers and rationale for RCOMH, summarising RCOMH's activity, explaining how RCOMH is developing research programmes and elucidating how it is a vehicle for achieving WFOT's goal of increasing research within occupational therapy internationally. The "Occupation and older people's mental health" research programme is used as an exemplar to illustrate how RCOMH is developing research programmes, share how research into aging, occupation and mental health is being progressed, and a current study is outlined. It is anticipated that this paper will encourage those working in mental health across the world to get involved in RCOMH's endeavours or stimulate others to develop international collaborative research centres related to other areas of occupational therapy practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting national policy in the UK emphasizes choice, independence and social inclusion for older people using social care services through the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles and increasing user involvement (Department of Health, 2006). Older people are a diverse population. Their definition of a ‘life worth living’ and support necessary to achieve this are cited as paramount within public policy formation. Simultaneously, older people coming into contact with social work are primarily conceptualized as ‘a challenge’ within the current social, economic and political environment, in which ageing is perceived as a time of difficulty and loss ultimately leading to increased structured dependency (Townsend, 2006). This paper makes links between discourses on life-long learning within public policy with those in social care. Both are concerned with increasing participation, citizenship and social justice for older people. It highlights contradictions between aspirations towards life-long learning derived from Freirean approaches seeking to promote ‘active ageing’ with negative political rhetoric about the burden of ageing and practice of managed care. Social workers play an important part in facilitating learning opportunities within their relationships with older people. Where and how these might be used to promote more inclusive strategies and approaches within practice for the engagement and further emancipation of service users is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to provide a multivariate segmentation model of the older consumer market, utilising variables based on the major dimensions of ageing, and behavioural variables previously shown to be pertinent to older adults in the gerontology and marketing literature. Design/methodology/approach - A self-complete questionnaire was administered to an age-based quota sample of 650 older consumers (aged 50-79) in the UK. Using the age and consumer behaviour variables, cluster analysis was performed. The clusters were then profiled using ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and χ² techniques, using those variables not included in the initial analysis. Findings - The results confirmed that the older consumer market is not homogeneous. Rather, five distinct segments emerged which differ considerably from one another on a range of variables, including consumer behaviours. Practical implications - The model has practical implications for targeting older consumers, and the paper provides guidelines on how to reach the different segments. Originality/value - The paper, the result of the largest known empirical study into older consumers in the UK, provides a comprehensive segmentation model that overcomes many of the limitations of previous segmentation studies pertaining to older adults. It also fills a research gap noted by several previous researchers in that a variety of different types of age are utilised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing in Place is a key component of UK policy on older people and housing. Helping older people to ‘age in place’ at home is seen to benefit the quality of life and also provide a cost-effective solution to the problems of an expanding population of very old people. However, the reality is not straightforward and in this paper, some results of qualitative research are presented to illustrate the benefits, problems and challenges that exist in relation to Ageing in Place in the United Kingdom. The research is based on qualitative data collected from 40 people age 80–89 in the north-west of England as part of the ENABLE-AGE Project 2002 to 2004. The research suggests that while Ageing in Place may bring social and psychological benefits, there can also be a significant downside on an everyday level. Home in old age can be a place of negative experiences, such as isolation and loneliness and there are often significant weaknesses in terms of informal support, physical environment of the home and neighbourhood and social network, which undermine the person’s ability to live independently. The paper reviews recent UK initiatives to use “telecare” to address some of these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Differences in mortality and health experience across regions are well recognised and UK government policy aims to address this inequality. Methods combining life expectancy and health have concentrated on specific areas, such as self-perceived health and dementia. Few have looked within country or across different areas of health. Self-perceived health, self-perceived functional impairment and cognitive impairment are linked closely to survival, as well as quality of life. This paper aims to describe regional differences in healthy life expectancy using a variety of states of health and wellbeing within the MRC Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (MRC CFAS). Methods: MRC CFAS is a population based study of health in 13,009 individuals aged 65 years and above in five centres using identical study methodology. The interviews included self-perceived health and measures of functional and cognitive impairment. Sullivan's method was used to combine prevalence rates for cognitive and functional impairment and life expectancy to produce expectation of life in various health states. Results: The prevalence of both cognitive and functional impairment increases with age and was higher in women than men, with marked centre variation in functional impairment (Newcastle and Gwynedd highest impairment). Newcastle had the shortest life expectancy of all the sites, Cambridgeshire and Oxford the longest. Centre differences in self-perceived health tended to mimic differences in life expectancy but this did not hold for cognitive or functional impairment. Conclusion: Self-perceived health does not show marked variation with age or sex, but does across centre even after adjustment for impairment burden. There is considerable centre variation in self-reported functional impairment but not cognitive impairment. Only variation in self-perceived health relates to the ranking of life expectancy. These data confirm that quite considerable differences in life experience exist across regions of the UK beyond basic life expectancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper data from a nationally representative British longitudinal study are used to analyse exchanges of support between Third Age parents (aged 55–75) and their adult children. Results show that between two thirds and three quarters of parents in this age group were involved in some sort of exchange relationship with at least one of their children. Generally, more Third Age parents were providers than recipients of help, but there was a strong reciprocal element to intergenerational exchange with, for example, married parents who provided support to at least one child being twice as likely as those who did not to receive support from a child, after allowance for a range of relevant parental and child characteristics. Parental characteristics associated with higher probability of providing help included higher income, home ownership and being married or widowed rather than divorced. Higher income and home ownership were, however, negatively associated with odds of receiving help from a child, again after adjustment for other co-variates, suggesting socio-economic differences in the balance of support exchanges. Children seem responsive to parental needs in that receipt of help from a child was positively associated with older parental age and with parental disability. The paper shows that in Britain, as in the USA, the balance of intergenerational exchanges involving Third Age adults is downward rather than upward, in contravention of depictions of older adults as‘burdens’ on younger generations. Current demographic and social changes are, it is argued, likely to increase support demands from adult children to Third Age parents in coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors compare policy approaches in the United Kingdom and Singapore on social care for older persons. The context of these approaches is discussed showing the development of policies, in each country from the aftermath of the Second World War to the present. Given that Singapore is a former British colony, it is of interest to scholars of social policy to examine its welfare approach as compared to the welfare state approach espoused by the United Kingdom. Both nations are faced with the challenges of an aging population, which necessitates handling similar problems with strategies that are in harmony with their respective economic, social, and cultural contexts. This paper considers their divergence of philosophies and policies, concluding with the recognition that the major difference lies in national and governmental expectations regarding the extent of the financial and regulatory responsibility for care for older people carried by the individual, the family, and the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of ‘brain training’ games is often regarded as relating to wider ideals of self-improvement and youthfulness. Hence, use is intertwined with discourses of ‘active’ ageing. This paper analyzes how the use and users of brain training games were configured in the UK media, from 2005 to 2015, and examines how notions of active ageing relate to these representations. Game users were rarely constructed solely as gamers, and were more often presented as prudent individuals focused on a serious goal. This configuration related to assumed and enjoined motivations for brain training; specifically, users were commonly framed as seeking to enhance cognition and limit/delay cognitive decline. Scientific evidence about brain training was often deployed to explain how games might work; sometimes, however, it was used to undermine the utility of games and assert the significance and cognitive health-benefits of other activities. A minority of texts explicitly critiqued ideals of self-improvement, arguing that game playing was important for its own sake. Yet, even the pleasure associated with gaming was occasionally instrumentalized as a mechanism for ensuring prudent life choices. The analysis casts fresh light on how debates around health, ageing, and science correspond to configurations of technology uses and users. It presents evidence of the widespread cultural circulation of enjoiners regarding self-care and healthy ageing within British society. However, the paper also provides indications of the limits to such imperatives: discourses of pleasure co-exist with and perhaps supplant logics of prudence in (accounts of) practices ostensibly aimed at ageing ‘well’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population ageing is a key challenge confronting European policy makers. Ageing is a complex issue, requiring a value-driven approach to law and policy. However, there has been limited consideration of what values are driving ageing law and policy in the European Union, or if these values are appropriate. Drawing on an empirical study of United Kingdom (UK) legal policy documents, this paper identifies and critiques the primary values and objectives driving ageing law and policy in the field of employment. It is argued that the values driving UK law and policy are often contested, contradictory and under-defined, and there has been limited thought given to how they should be prioritised in the event they conflict. Thus, there is a serious need to reconsider the approach to age and employment taken by policy makers, and to clarify better the key values on which law and policy rest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In common with other developed nations, the UK population is ageing. This has impacts on all areas of economic and social activity, including transport and air travel. This paper aims to provide an initial assessment of the ground access journeys to UK airports made by ageing (65+ years) air travellers, a topic hitherto unexplored by the academic research community. Using data from two online surveys (each with 600 respondents) undertaken in 2020 of 1200 different ageing UK residents, this exploratory research reveals that the ease of undertaking the journey and comfort are key factors in determining ground access choice whilst environmental issues play a minimal role. Whilst this paper offers new insights into the ground access journeys of ageing air passengers, it also makes recommendations for future research that needs to be undertaken to further academic understandings of the needs and attitudes of this important, and growing, passenger segment. • The ground access journey is viewed more favourably than other air journey stages. • Ease of undertaking the journey and comfort are key factors in ground access choice. • Environmental issues play a minimal role in determining ground access choice. • COVID-19 may encourage ageing passengers to use more cars and taxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK Design Council describes Inclusive Design as neither a new genre of design, nor a separate specialism, but as a general approach to designing in which designers ensure that their products and services address the needs of the widest possible audience, irrespective of age or ability. Inclusive Design (also known [in Europe] as Design for All and as Universal Design in the USA) is in essence the inverse of earlier approaches to designing for disabled and elderly people as a sub-set of the population, and an integral part of a more recent international trend towards the integration of older and disabled people in the mainstream of society. This paper describes the development of Inclusive Design in the UK, from its early beginnings, through its subsequent adoption as a topic of academic research, leading to its recent emergence embodied as a framework and toolkit for design., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.)

The ‘greying’ of the United Kingdom nursing workforce: implications for employment policy and practice One in five nurses on the United Kingdom (UK) professional register is aged 50 years or older. Over the next few years, the profession will lose, through retirement, many of its most experienced practitioners. The significance for policy makers and for employers of this age-shift is two-fold. Firstly it is clear that greater numbers of nurses and midwives are reaching, or soon will reach, potential retirement age. Secondly many more nurses are now reaching their middle years and they are likely to have different requirements and attitudes to nursing work. This paper examines the employment policy and practice of the ageing of the UK nursing population. The paper examines data from official sources, and information from attitudinal surveys and case studies with employing organizations to assess the major effects of the ageing of the nursing workforce. Key findings are that the age profile of those nurses working in the National Health Service appears to be ‘younger’ than that of the total population, with the age profile of nurses working in nursing homes and as practice nurses being older than that of the NHS nursing workforce. However, the overall age profile of NHS nurses masks considerable variation between specialties and trusts, and the ‘pool’ of potential nurse returners from which the NHS and other employers attempts to recruit, is declining in numbers, as it too ages. Other major issues requiring policy attention are the provision of appropriate flexible hours to older nurses who have caring responsibilities, improving access to continuing professional development, and reducing pension provision inflexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an existential phenomenological study carried out in a care of elderly people setting in a 1000-bed hospital in the United Kingdom. Fourteen participants were interviewed, each on several occasions. Two themes derived from these narratives are discussed, revealing negative experiences which are related to feelings of powerlessness. These two themes, routine geriatric style and segregation, are shown to arise from the history and culture of the wards and are shown to result in care deprivation and depersonalization. Patients' individual needs are ignored as they become the objects of inflexible routines within health care practice. In order to understand the situation, the history of care of older people and the biomedical construction of aging are examined. It is concluded that what is needed is a wider social and political movement which opposes ageism and challenges ageist stereotypes. In addition, in health care there is a need for a review of the routine geriatric style of care and of segregation based on age and a social gerontology programme for nurse education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerated brain aging (ABA) intricately links with age-associated neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases, emphasizing the critical need for a nuanced exploration of heterogeneous ABA patterns. This investigation leveraged data from the UK Biobank (UKB) for a comprehensive analysis, utilizing structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI), and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) from 31,621 participants. Pre-processing employed tools from the FMRIB Software Library (FSL, version 5.0.10), FreeSurfer, DTIFIT, and MELODIC, seamlessly integrated into the UKB imaging processing pipeline. The Lasso algorithm was employed for brain-age prediction, utilizing derived phenotypes obtained from brain imaging data. Subpopulations of accelerated brain aging (ABA) and resilient brain aging (RBA) were delineated based on the error between actual age and predicted brain age. The ABA subgroup comprised 1949 subjects (experimental group), while the RBA subgroup comprised 3203 subjects (control group). Semi-supervised heterogeneity through discriminant analysis (HYDRA) refined and characterized the ABA subgroups based on distinctive neuroimaging features. HYDRA systematically stratified ABA subjects into three subtypes: SubGroup 2 exhibited extensive gray-matter atrophy, distinctive white-matter patterns, and unique connectivity features, displaying lower cognitive performance; SubGroup 3 demonstrated minimal atrophy, superior cognitive performance, and higher physical activity; and SubGroup 1 occupied an intermediate position. This investigation underscores pronounced structural and functional heterogeneity in ABA, revealing three subtypes and paving the way for personalized neuroprotective treatments for age-related neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the second in an occasional series of paired commentaries in Age and Ageing, the Journal of the British Geriatrics Society and the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS). The aim is to address issues of current significance and to foster dialogue and increased understanding between academics and clinicians working in comparative international settings. Both commentaries address the urgent need to improve palliative care for older people, with a critique of some stereotypes surrounding palliative care and the 'good death'. The companion commentary, published in JAGS, was written by Alexander Smith and Vyjeyanthi Periyakoil, and is grounded in their experience as academic clinicians (Smith AK, Periyakoil V. Should we bury 'The Good Death'? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2018; in press). In the present paper, we offer a perspective on the outcome and wider consequences of misalignment between current UK policy and aspirations for end of life care in relation to epidemiological trends and patient experience of death and dying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented wherein the editor discusses various articles published within the issue on topics including lessons on housing for older persons in Northern Ireland, a four-site study of youth homelessness, and the development of the market for social care in Great Britain.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper, “Dementia – good living in our churches” co-authored with Dr Bute who is a retired GP living with dementia, is to encourage the Church of England to do more for people with dementia living within their parishes. Design/methodology/approach – This document was put together using a case study and a literature review. Findings – As the age range of the country increases there are an increased number of people attending churches who have diagnosed (or undiagnosed) dementia. This document has found that there are a number of areas that the Church of England needs to work on to help people become enveloped within the churches that many of them knew and have grown up with. Originality/value – New case study and up to date research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the role that faith and spirituality play for Jewish people as they age and examine how this is expressed and supported by a health and social care environment. Design/methodology/approach – This is a case study based on work at Jewish Care and supported by other Jewish networks. It also builds on qualitative research on Ageing Well carried out in 2012. Findings – As people age they have a need to connect with their community. Faith-based communities are ready made and often the first point of call for Jewish people. The way in which people express their faith or spirituality may not manifest itself in practice but be more about inclusion and connection. Life circumstances will determine people’s faith, identity and approach to spirituality – e.g. Holocaust survivors. There is a feeling that religious affiliation and the way it is expressed has polarised in the community which means that older people often do not connect with current ways of expressing or connecting to their faith. Research limitations/implications – This is not a systematic research but examines through practice different approaches to supporting people as they age via a faith-based provision. Practical implications – The approach could be replicated by other faith-based providers but also the approach and lessons should be considered by more generalist providers so that they ensure they meet the needs of the individual receiving their services. The inclusion principle reminds the author that care in a vacuum will not support the emotional and psychological needs of people. Social implications – Divisions within a faith group opportunities for younger people to learn from their older peers reminder of more established values around faith. Originality/value – Identifying the way in which faith is often an expression and connection to community and can reduce social isolation. The role that faith-based communities play in connecting and valuing people as they age. The reminder that ritual can be not only reassuring to people as they age but provide structure and purpose to a person’s life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a series of surveys undertaken for The Abbeyfield Society to assess the nature of spiritual needs and care in its homes, and outlines their findings in relation to practical and policy implications. Design/methodology/approach – Over the course of ten months, 35 homes representing a variety of sizes and locations were visited, and 100 interviews of approximately one hour each were undertaken with residents, managers, care workers and volunteers. These were guided by a semi-structured questionnaire, and included observations on the accommodation and facilities. An analysis of the transcriptions resulted in four reports with consolidated recommendations. Findings – The analyses indicated that the factors contributing to spiritual wellbeing can be described in “clusters” relating to family, friendship, memory, time, listening, resilience and sense of self and place; but the common factor underlying all is the nature of the relationships formed in the home. It is almost impossible to separate out spiritual flourishing from physical or mental welfare, and therefore important to observe the interplay between them. Practical implications – An environment in which the key contributing factors are nurtured, can be defined and described in concrete terms, and these can then be taken into account when forward planning. Social implications – While national policy on care of the elderly is subject to a range of drivers, of which holistic health is only one, this study does challenge some assumptions on which current policy is based. Originality/value – The purpose and methodology of the surveys enabled a very wide range of views and experiences to be synthesised, providing information and insights firmly located in the voices of people who are directly affected by practice and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses George Henry Lewes's study of living matter in The Physiology of Common Life (1859-60). Despite the physiological materiality of its subject, Lewes's text often discusses states of life that defy clear-cut classification. The process of human aging is a particularly confounding example of life and death's indeterminacy because, as Lewes describes, older age invokes both the physiological and aesthetic intermingling of animal life with stone, petrifaction, and minerality. I argue that Lewes's discussion of aging in Chapter XIII draws directly from the earlier geological research of Charles Lyell and, with brief reference to illustrative examples elsewhere in Victorian writing, I show the ways in which the Lewesian understanding of aging as a state of suspension between animality and minerality is reliant upon and a spur for the nineteenth-century literary imagination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how older workers and people who have already retired speak about ageing and change and their experience of retirement. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative study is described in which focus groups with older workers and semi-structured interviews with retired people were carried out. The recorded data were analysed using a linguistic approach (Discourse Analysis), which investigates in detail how people express their views and opinions and how their discourse might relate to societal attitudes towards ageing and retirement. Findings - Many older people who were still at work were concerned that they would decline and become senile once they retired unless they could remain active in some way. This was confirmed by people who had already retired and who spoke about how keeping busy and active had resulted in successful retirement and ageing. Research limitations/implications - Participants from four focus groups and five interview respondents represent only a small sample of older people who are still working or who are retired. This means that the results of this study cannot be extended to include all older workers and retired people. Social implications - This study will help to raise awareness of the concerns of older workers who may be nearing retirement, and how keeping busy and active after leaving work is considered by retirees to be part of successful retirement and helping to combat decline. Originality/value - A study of this nature which examines how older workers express their views about retirement using Discourse Analysis is original and may be used as a method for future research into other aspects of being older at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of integration in tackling isolation in later life, propose institutions as a key factor in forming intergenerational friendships, and assess the key conditions which need to be established. Design/methodology/approach - Assessment based on work on social contact theory by Professor Miles Hewstone, amongst others, as well as case studies, research from Age UK and the Social Integration Commission. Findings - Isolation can be seen as part of the broader issue of a failure of social integration. A lack of integration in earlier life results in networks which are not age-diverse. This results in isolation in later life. Institutions are key in preventing this, as they allow for the formation of intergenerational friendships and trust. Originality/value - Based on an article by the author (www.demos.co.uk/publications/mapping integration), age-specific integration is reviewed, and supplementary research considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The National Pensioners' Convention aims to challenge the case for current government policies to raise the age of retirement from paid work and to diversify routes to and amounts of pensions entitlement. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - This policy-oriented commentary draws on evidence and arguments presented in the National Pensioners' Convention Manifesto about the relative affluence of socio-economic class groups and their length of life after 65. Findings - In contrast to government claims of simplifying pensions by introducing single-tier state pensions, three different pension schemes will coexist for many years and in many cases these will provide less than current entitlements. Other universal pensioner benefits such as concessionary travel and winter fuel payments are now also the target of financial cost savings. Access to home care and residential care is increasingly restricted by service cuts and wider means testing. Practical implications - National Pensioners' Convention Manifesto argues that the standard of care and support for older people needs to be guaranteed to be set above current poverty levels, to be linked to price and consumer indices and earnings, for universal pensioner benefits to be maintained, for a National Health and Care Service to be free at the point of use, funded through taxation and for standards to be improved through a legally binding Dignity code. Originality/value - This commentary expresses the views of a non-party campaigning organisation run by pensioners themselves to highlight their case for ways in which they may gain increased rather than decreased support for maintaining active living in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]