“WALK IN OUR SHOES – ACT ON OUR ISSUES”

“WALK IN OUR SHOES – ACT ON OUR ISSUES” Reshaping Care for Older People in Argyll and Bute Intergenerational work with communities

Stop Falling Start Saving Lives and Money Costs to the individual • Injury • Loss of confidence • Primary cause of death and disability in people over 75 (Gillespie et al 2012) Costs to health and social care • £6 million per day • £2.3 billion per year

Global Report on Falls the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2007) • Awareness needs to be raised not only with older people but with health professionals, families and communities

Co-production ' one of the most talked about themes in public services and public policy around the world' • Assets based approach

Coproduction - explicit commitment in UK healthcare policy • UK Government, Health and Social Care Act 2001, 2012 • Scottish Executive, Public Involvement Framework, 2001 • Department of Health, 2005, 2006 • NICE 2008 • Assets based approaches, Scottish Government 2012 WHO 2012 • Exchange and application of knowledge by stakeholders will strengthen health systems and improve health • Collaborative approaches accelerate benefits of global and local innovation

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

Falls Prevention – action research • Well established evidence base of effective evidence based interventions for the prevention of falls in older people • Evidence base has not been effectively transferred into practice • Older people reject advice on reducing their falls risk HEBS, 2003: NICE, 2004; Yardley et al, 2005; RCP, 2007; Gillespie et al., 2009; AGS/BGS, 2010; Goodwin et al., 2010; RCP, 2010; Gormley, 2011; Scottish Executive, 2012

Intergenerational practice • Case study of the Islay work was included in new Govt Guidelines: Bringing Together Local Authorities and Intergenerational Practice in a Scottish Policy context • challenge was to replicate the benefits across Argyll and Bute

Intergenerational work in Argyll and Bute • Utilise the Age Scotland Pack • Replicate across Argyll • Identify difficulties • Interaction and understanding developed between generations

Lochgilphead • Intergenerational work identified many issues • AVA working with Argyll and Bute council street scene team to have a bench supplied • Repair of the kerb at the MS centre by roads department AVA working with the Mid Argyll Multiple Sclerosis Centre

Lochgilphead cont. Case Study: COPD sufferer, severely restricted by lung capacity, some benches on street would increase his reach: “It currently costs me 3 cups of tea in 3 different cafes to get to the chemist at the bottom of the street, that`s £6 each way!!”

Campbeltown • “rain stopped play”! Walk had to be stopped short due to a torrential downpour • In the short walk and talk, it was felt that putting these points on to paper as well as discussing was worthwhile • Outcomes passed to community council

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

Dunoon – residents of Cragroy • Area surrounding this sheltered housing complex, concerns raised: • Traffic, around complex • Road signs highlighting elderly crossing • On main road, to access promenade • Bus shelter seating • Seats on housing side of road

Helensburgh Generations working together in Helensburgh

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

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

Oban • AVA with Oban and District Seniors Forum Members and Oban Youth Café Members • A one mile walk through the town ending at the local health centre • Issues raised: • Potholes • Uneven cobbles • Loose paving slabs

The young people hadn`t considered issues when people have mobility problems A regular intergenerational soup group has now been established

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

What next? • On-going intergenerational walks • A short film being made by Young Scot • Addressing issues raised • Maintaining links • Age Scotland have launched the Walk in Our Shoes resource as an intergenerational tool

Participants • Lochgilphead: Antonia Baird AVA and MS Centre • Oban: Maggie Dougall AVA, Oban & District Seniors Forum and Oban Youth Café • Helensburgh: Alison Gildea AVA, Morvein Martin Community Development worker, some young Timebank members and Grey Matters group • Campbeltown: Clare Mead AVA and volunteers • Dunoon: Gwen Harrison AVA, Cragroy Sheltered Housing tenants and volunteers

“WALK IN OUR SHOES – ACT ON OUR ISSUES”