This seminar was held on Thursday 10th April 2014, 13:30 (for 14:00) – 17:00 on the topic is ‘Ensuring communities offer what older people want’, and focussed on the activities and interests of older people that need to be represented in our communities to ensure good quality of life and wellbeing for an ageing population. The results of these seminars will inform a solutions-focussed policy brief, looking at what needs to be done to create age-ready local areas. This brief will be launched in May at a full day conference on ageing in our communities. In this seminar we considered what communities provide for older people and how these needs may change (or stay the same) as they age. We know from research on isolation and loneliness that social connections remain an important part of quality of life for many people as they get older, yet as the ‘loneliness epidemic’ continues to hit headlines it is clear that this is not being fully addressed in communities. Exploring how activities and services can maintain and build on social networks is key to maintaining wellbeing within the community. Elsewhere, we explored the services, amenities and activities available to older people in their communities – from village shops, to post offices, to libraries and adult education classes, and how these enhance wellbeing for older people. A community can take many forms, and in this session we will also be considering the approaches to be taken from different kinds of setting – from urban to rural – and the challenges that lie in providing services to these distinct regions. This seminar explored: • How family connections, friendships and social ties can be supported and better integrated into community activities. • What role do local services and shops play in building a community, what the future of these services looks like and what can be done to ensure they support ageing in the community? • What activities are currently available for older people in their communities, and are these suitable or prepared for an increasing number of people accessing them? What else should be available? • How we can ensure that fun and playfulness remain part of life when growing older in the community? • How can we ensure that the experience of growing older remains at its highest quality across rural, town, suburban, and urban settings?

1. Community Matters – are our
communities ready for ageing?
Seminar 3: ‘Ensuring communities
offer what older people want’
Thursday 10th April
#communitymatters

2. Malcolm Dean
#communitymatters

3. Phil Rossall
Research Manager
Age UK
#communitymatters

4. Jessica Watson
Policy and Communications Manager
International Longevity Centre - UK
#communitymatters

5. Helen Leech
Director
Open Age
#communitymatters

6. Open Age – Evidence
• User led local charity providing activities in community venues
(libraries/church halls/sheltered housing/leisure
centres/schools/pubs/cafes )
• Addressing loneliness & isolation ,mental health & wellbeing
, physical health, digital exclusion, barriers to
employment, issues facing older carers
• 400 activities/ weekly plus Link Up , Time For Me, phone
groups, men’s work, intergenerational , trips, meals , falls
prevention , employment , volunteering
• Ageing Better survey – ill health/ mobility /transport / lack of
friends .
• Internal – 67% new friends, 75% more fun, 86% more
motivated/ inc purpose , 81% more confident , 89% new skills

7. Policy Gaps
• Evidence of savings from reduced GP /
hospital visits
• Lack of research on the value of leisure as
opposed to exercise. Fun pays!
• Effective methods of mapping and knowing
what is on offer ( quality , duplication )
• Food and Nutrition - Malnutrition?
• The impact on Ageism on society
• Those delivering know what works - not brain
surgery!

8. Fixing the issues !
• Retirement communities ( access / transport /
food / health)
• Transport, transport, transport
• Adult and Community Learning (SFA) funds /
targets
• Older People Apprenticeships
• Use of public (also housing ) sector venues -
Open Age examples

9. James Parkinson
Policy Officer
RIBA
#communitymatters

10. Professor Ken Worpole
Emeritus Professor, The Cities Institute
London Metropolitan University
#communitymatters

11. Out and about, fit and well:
The importance of good quality
public open space

12. THE URBAN GREEN
SPACES TASK FORCE (2002)
 Over 30 million people in
England (70%) use parks
frequently. 2 billion annual
visits.
 Decrease in quality; poor
public image
 Public spending favours
indoor over outdoor leisure
 Work in partnership with
communities
 Develop Green Flag Award
 Establish national agency

13. THE TWO CULTURES OF LEISURE
(From Greener Spaces, Better Places)
Spending on ‘Urban
parks and open
spaces’ dropped from
44% of local authority
spending in 1976/77 to
31% of spending in
1998/99.
Spending on Country
parks, nature reserves
and tourism increased
from 7% to 17%.

14. THE TWO CULTURES OF LEISURE
(From Greener Spaces, Better Places)
RECREATIONAL CULTURE
70% walk
All ages
All social groups
£600m for 2.5 billion visits
FITNESS CULTURE
Over 80% drive
Pre-dominantly 18 - 45
Mostly professional users
£400m for 100 million visits

15. A park renaissance

16. Professor Leela Damodaran
Professor of Participative Design
University of Loughborough
#communitymatters

17. Community Matters: are our communities ready for ageing: Ensuring
communities offer what older people want
Space for Place, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU
Leela Damodaran
Professor of Digital inclusion and Participation
Loughborough University
10th April 2014
17

18. • Many older people are enthusiastic and successful users of ICTs/the internet but
sustained digital engagement can be hampered/halted, by
physical, cognitive, personal/social changes that occur as we age and by
technological change.
• Older ICT users want readily available, trusted and sustained support (including
‘troubleshooting’), embedded in social activities / personal interests, free of time
pressure and assessments, impartial advice and ‘try before you buy’ of ICT devices
including telecare/self-care products : proposition of community-based ICT
support (available at http://kt-equal.org.uk/downloads )
• Appropriate design and ICT learning and support in the community to meet these
needs can extend successful use of ICTs to prolong independence and autonomy
• Older people can be empowered to shape design of ICTs, make decisions and
enhance their quality of life within an ethical framework which ensures respect for
lived experience, nurtures and safeguards older people, and uses appropriate
methods
• There is an ICT learning and support void to fill beyond the workplace
18
What we know

19. • Research into ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘what would make a difference’ to
complement research in to ‘what’.
• Investment in knowledge translation/knowledge-brokering processes
to achieve ‘knowledge-into-action’. E.g. from the vast repository of
publically funded research freely available.
• Comprehensive, freely available technology learning and support in
communities and homes to promote adoption of technologies to
promote independent living and enhance quality of life.
• Tools/techniques methods for engaging the community in
requirements specification and in co-design and decision-making.
• Commissioned cross-project reviews/synthesis of findings from
research projects to inform policy decisions and strategies.
19
Key gaps: research and policy

20. • Showcase a realisable vision of an inclusive digital society and
economy to inspire investment by all stakeholders in building ICT
capability and confidence of all.
• Demonstrate ‘proof of concept’ by modelling best practice in
government policies and strategies ie ‘Do as we do’ !
• Quality of Life strategies in the community: creative holistic
strategies for achieving technology-enabled autonomy and
independence of all.
• Building on the localism agenda, set up intergenerational problem-
solving forums to engage diverse sections of the community to scope
problems, exchange ideas and co-create solutions.
• Enable the above by use of innovative techniques and methods (eg
drama/interactive theatre, ‘sandpits’, story-telling etc).
20
Ministerial actions:

21. Q&A and Discussion
#communitymatters

22. Break
#communitymatters

23. Open Discussion
#communitymatters

24. Community Matters – are our
communities ready for ageing?
Seminar 3: Ensuring communities
offer what older people want
Thursday 10th April
#communitymatters