Healthy ageing in residential care homes, 2014-2015

Lloyd, Liz and Smith, Randall and Cameron, Ailsa and Miles, Penny and Szehebely, Marta and Vabo, Mia and Armstrong, Pat and Lowndes, Ruth and Armstrong, Hugh and Panos, Justin and Doupe, Malcolm and James, Bob and Daly, Tamara and Baines, Donna and Agotnes, Gudmund and Storm, Palle and Braedly, Susan and Chivers, Sally and Davis, Megan and Jacobsen, Frode and Lanoix, Monique and McPherson, Kathryn and McGregor, Margaret and Banerjee, Albert and Choiniere, Jaqueline and Rosenau, Pauline (2020). Healthy ageing in residential care homes, 2014-2015. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-852700

Active, healthy ageing is not often regarded as relevant to the residents of care homes and the aim of health and social care policies is to keep people out of care homes so as to remain active in their own homes. However, care homes remain an important element of care systems and have the potential to promote healthy active ageing.

Based on a broad view of health that includes mental, physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects, this project aims to develop new definitions of active, healthy ageing which include men and women who live in care homes and will identify strategies that enable residents to live more fulfilling lives. It will also identify strategies that promote the health of the labour force in care homes. We will explore the potential of such strategies to save resources by reducing the amount of medical and other care required as well as levels of staff sickness.

This international project will use comparative case studies led by experienced national teams that will produce valuable data on the conditions that are the most promising in promoting healthy active ageing for residents and staff in specific care facilities in Canada, the UK, Sweden and Norway.

Data description (abstract)

Data collection of interviews and observations resulting from case study research in residential care homes in Canada, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. This collection consist of transcriptions of interviews conducted at 11 research sites with managers, residents, staff, relatives, volunteers and visiting staff such as GPs or activities workers. Interviews were usually conducted in pairs, one 'home' and one 'foreign' researcher working together. Field notes were taken by researchers during observations of activities and practices within the selected care homes when researchers were 'on site' at different times of the day. The aim was to identify promising practices as well as to describe daily routines at different times: morning, afternoon and evening shifts. Observations also include records of conversations.

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