Ideas Exchange 2024/2025

Loneliness and isolation amongst older people is recognised as a priority by policy makers and practitioners in England. Older men especially are more reluctant to take up current opportunities for care, support and social activities provided by community based collective forms of day care. A recent study ‘Reimagining day care services for older people,’ that suggests older men are more likely to participate in collective forms of day care if they involve ‘purposeful activities’ (Bennett at al 2023), for example if they are learning new skills or using existing skills.  This finding supports previous research that suggests that older men are unlikely to participate in collective activities support unless they involve ‘hands on activities’ and take place in ‘everyday spaces’ (Milligan et al 2015).

This research will combine the findings from the teams recent day care research with experts in environmental sciences and science communication and partners from the voluntary sector to create a skills-based initiative that contributes to improving the wellbeing of older men.

What will the project involve? 

The team will  run a series of co-designed community based woodworking sessions, for older men with experience of spousal care giving responsibility or bereavement.

 At these sessions older men would build ‘animal homes’ (for example bird boxes, bat boxes, bug hotels) which would then be located in ‘wellbeing’ locations across the city as a nature trail.  With QR codes that contain content about the animal, and/ or the story of the maker.

Who are the team and what do they bring?

• Linda Sumpter (School for Policy Studies) is interested in research around reablement, social care and co-production.
• Ailsa Cameron (School for Policy Studies) researches older people, social care, day care.
• Andy Wakefield (School of Biological Sciences)has research interests in ecology, environmentalism and science communication.
• Isobel Jones (Alive) has personal and professional experience of dementia and ageing and is passionate about providing person centred, creative, relationship-based care.
• Georgina Densley (Alive Activities) has  interests and expertise in community and social arts for wellbeing and connection, intergenerational practice and broadening access to creative and cultural engagement for child development and creative aging.