Philippa Hare is very sorry she can’t be here – she sends her apologies and says she’ll be delighted if anyone wants to get in touch E mail address at end of presentation My name: Chris Manthorp: part of the ‘Better Life’ board and programme

‘A Better Life’ Five-year work programme ( ) – focus on choices in later life for older people with high support needs. A growing group, that is often marginalised and seldom heard. What will really help them to have a ‘better life’? We are committed to raising expectations so that: Care and support meets more than people’s basic needs Older people with high support needs aren’t just ‘getting through’ from morning until night, day after day We get rid of ‘good enough’ A broad ranging brief: Better Lives for Older People with High Support Needs in the Community – investigative journalist’s approach - community and global focus

A better life for those living in care homes: JRF Partnership Shared aim: to influence policy and practice development in care homes by answering the following questions: How can older people living in care homes have more voice, choice and control? How can care home managers be supported so they can be inspirational and effective leaders? What can be done about the issues of funding and low pay in care homes? Improving homes run by the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust National Care Forum - Quality First: emphasising community involvement, mapping, choice

Housing with care Housing with care schemes enable older people to live independently, and receive care and support when they need it. Little evaluation has been done on this relatively new concept. Do the promotion and commissioning of housing with care schemes reflect older people’s own definitions of quality of life? What approaches enable older people to enjoy a good quality of life in these schemes if they develop high support needs? What needs to happen to make housing with care more affordable, accessible and acceptable to them? Good examples: Finnish Iso Omena Complex built around a shopping centre including cinemas, restaurants and a library, with health centres. Retirement villages: Denham Gardens and St Monica’s Trust; Moor Allerton in Leeds

Alternative approaches Aspirations often limited to dignity in care – what about principles of citizenship, human rights and choice? Nuffield Bio Ethics Work We want to think afresh about how older people with high support needs might live their lives. About… approaches that improve quality of life, not just quality of care informal as well as formal approaches to support, through family, friends or neighbours learning from support models used by other groups innovative and promising approaches from anywhere in the world

Community Based Care – Innovative Examples Improved advice – First Stop and the LinkAge Principle Improved technology: Liquidlogic and joined up notes; telehealthcare; New Systems of Ageing, fabric design; street furniture Improved support: Japanese taxi/technology links Improved residential care: small group living (Holland); activity based communities (US); cruises for all (Japan)!

The vision - defining what makes a better life We need to hear what older people with high support needs want and value, in order to create a vision for the whole programme. We aim to: enable them to express what they want and value prioritise people whose voices are rarely heard and whose lives and experiences may be particularly ignored ensure that these views support and challenge our work, and are central to discussions and decisions about the programme

The Better Life Programme: ww.jrf.org.uk/work/workarea/better-life