Learning resources
If you are working with older people in the statutory or voluntary sector, are a friend or family member, or are an older person supporting others close to you, we hope you will find this material helpful and interesting. In our research we identified many different things that impacted older people's well-being. But the resources have focused on two main topics: supporting people in situations that involve them having to make difficult decisions, and caring relationships in which older people are adjusting to changes in the way they can both give and receive care from others.
We hope you will use the handbook in conjunction with the film. We have provided important background material which will greatly enhance what you learn from the film and will help you to reflect on the questions and prompts that are provided. The handbook is not a 'how to do it' guide, but a resource that will help you reflect on things that are important to all of us as we grow older.
Download the handbook (pdf 1.34Mb)
Our film has been divided into sections to enable you to focus on different themes. You can watch each part of the film below.
We would like to know what you thought about these resources. Please let us know by using our feedback form
Introduction to wellbeing
The film starts by considering the idea of wellbeing. This section describes the way in which we went about this project and we also reflect on what we have learnt about ethical practice in working with older people collectively in carrying out the research. It introduces ideas about care ethics. You will see members of our research team talking about what they learnt about well-being and about their experiences of taking part.
Download a transcript of this video (pdf 456Kb)
Adjusting to change
In the second film we meet May, who is in her seventies. May's husband passed away some years ago and she now lives on her own. Recently she has suffered a significant and unexpected life event in the form of a stroke. Here she is met by Ellen, an occupational therapist and together they explore what the impact of this change has meant on May’s life. Sustaining wellbeing in the context of significant life changes is a theme that runs through all parts of these resources.
Download a transcript of this video (pdf 428Kb)
Living options
In the third film we meet Patrick who is in his nineties. His wife Gillian is currently in hospital following a recent fall and he is increasingly becoming aware that where he and his wife are living is not meeting their needs. With this is mind he has rung Paul, a voluntary sector worker, who he has met before, to discuss the situation.
Download a transcript of this video (pdf 497Kb)
Care and caring relationships
In the fourth film we return to May who is now receiving help and support from Ruth, a worker with a voluntary sector re-enablement service. Ruth has been helping to build May’s confidence since her stroke and wants to enable her to leave the house and enjoy some of the activities she did before. May is finding it hard to adjust to her needs for help. Her son also appears to find it hard to provide help in a way that does not make her feel a 'burden'.
Download a transcript of this video (pdf 491Kb)
Making decisions together
In the fifth film we return to Patrick and Gillian who have not been coping as well as they would have liked following Gillian's discharge from hospital. Taking Paul's advice they have contacted Social Services to request a formal assessment. Chloe, a social worker meets them to carry out this assessment. This scenario explores the way in which well-being involves making decisions about support and necessary adjustments that work for both partners.
Download a transcript of this video (pdf 418Kb)
Working together with older people
In the sixth film the older people who took part in this research reflect on their experiences. We discuss what we learnt about working with older people to do this research and suggest that this is useful in other contexts where groups of older people come together and share their experience and knowledge to shape services.
Download a transcript of this video (pdf 470Kb)
