Editorial

Citation

Klée, D. (2014), "Editorial", Working with Older People, Vol. 18 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/WWOP-02-2014-0007

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Working with Older People, Volume 18, Issue 2

The years between retirement and a time when care may be needed, can be a liberating and rewarding time for people who are in reasonably good health and even better if they do not have financial worries.

I know of couples that sold their house to buy a yacht and sail around the world and others who have enjoyed travelling either in the UK or more far flung places. For some people it is like an extended and belated gap year. Others have learnt new skills, turned hobbies into paid employment or taken on new volunteering opportunities. They have, as James Parkinson says in his paper, “Demographic shifts” (this issue) “reached a point in their lives where they can contribute to the economy and society on their own terms”.

Unfortunately, not all people are able to enjoy this freedom as poor health, low income and the lack of an education can result in limitations of choice and opportunities. There are still significant inequalities in health and wealth for people aged 60 years and over.

The first paper in this issue reports on a Healthy Ageing in Europe programme led by Suffolk County Council. It addresses how early prevention can promote healthy active ageing. Key lessons from the five countries that took part give interesting examples of what works. Suffolk County Council used an on-line health management tool for staff with tailored advice to help them to manage and reduce health risks.

The theme of prevention continues in a paper on improving the uptake of adult vaccination. The importance of vaccination as part of a public health strategy to improve healthy ageing is explained with examples of how adult vaccination rates can be improved, including flu vaccinations for people in care homes and health and social care staff.

The Royal Institute of British Architects have made a fascinating contribution to this issue of Working with Older People with a think piece on how an active third age could shape the future of our cities. Ideas are explored around housing for three generations, where families could provide better support to each other with independent and shared living spaces. As are the opportunities that high streets provide for innovation, as local shops cease to exist as a result of out of town shopping centres and on-line shopping.

The idea of co-housing is discussed further in a paper on co-housing and intergenerational exchange. The author describes her personal experience of exchanging accommodation for personal assistance, through co-housing. Michele Wates gives a good case for this reciprocal arrangement as it addresses the compatible needs of two generations.

A healthy and active old age is of course desirable for all but as people live longer the risk of dementia increases. However, people can live well with dementia for many years provided the environment that they live in and the services available to them, enable them to live life as they choose.

“Rethinking dementia”, Hugo De Waal's contribution to this issue, explains how a shift can be made to more person-centred dementia services. He describes how the symptoms of dementia can impact on a person's self esteem and how they see themselves. The South London Health Innovation Network have developed an approach “My Brain Book”, that puts the person with dementia in the driving seat. They determine the outcomes that they want. By first using their personal resources and networks they determine the gaps where they may need help. The result is a self managed, person-centred care plan and resource centre.

Regular readers of the journal may be familiar with Stephen Gethin-Jones work. His two-part paper on improving outcomes for people that use home care was published in Issues 16.1 and 16.2 of Working with Older People. His paper in this issue looks at how outcome focused home care, for people living with dementia, can improve the quality of life for carers. He describes how forming relationships between carers, paid staff and the person with dementia when delivering care, can have the greatest impact in improving outcomes.

The final paper in this issue is on a topic addressed once before in Working with Older People (Wang et al., 2012) the impact of gender imbalance in China. The paper in this issue by Yoshihko Kadoya and Ting Yin offers a new viewpoint. Sons and daughters in law are more likely to be care givers for their parents than daughters and sons in law, unless the son's wife is highly educated. As women start to get a better education, it is argued that the government will need to fill the gap previously filled by women, through state funded long-term care.

It is a very full issue, covering a wide range of topics. The importance of prevention in promoting a healthy and active third age; the environment in creating opportunities for older people and young to come together to support each other; and maintaining a good quality of life for people living with dementia or requiring long-term care, are addressed. I hope that you will find inspiration and new ideas in this issue as I have.

Deborah Klée

Reference

Wang, G., Su, X. and Hatton-Yeo, A. (2012), “The security for Chinese older people in urban-rural one-child families”, Working with Older People, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 88-96

Further reading

Stephen, G.-J. (2012), “Outcomes and well-being part 1: a comparative longitudinal study of two models of homecare delivery and their impact upon the older person self reported subjective well-being”, Working with Older People, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 22-30

Stephen, G.-J. (2012), “Outcomes and well-being part 2: a comparative longitudinal study of two models of homecare delivery and their impact upon the older person self reported subjective well-being. A qualitative follow up study paper”, Working with Older People, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 52-60