A new model for care and support: sharing lives and taking charge

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to look at lesser‐known approaches to working with older people which challenge current assumptions about older people and approaches to providing care, suggesting that they lay on a continuum of support services, which stretches from traditional, paid‐by‐the‐hour, professional/client transactions at one end, to unboundaried, unpaid family care at the other.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper looks at Shared Lives, ASA Lincolnshire's At Home Day Resource for people with dementia, Homeshare, KeyRing and micro‐enterprises.

Findings

Through combining the value of real relationships with more formal support approaches, better outcomes can be achieved at lower costs.

Originality/value

With the gap between the capacity of existing services and the needs of an ageing population growing daily, this paper provides additional research and development in this area of work.

Citation

Fox, A. (2011), "A new model for care and support: sharing lives and taking charge", Working with Older People, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 58-63. https://doi.org/10.1108/13663661111144763