Contact Details: Dr Mayumi Hayashi, School of History, UEA, m.hayashi@uea.ac.uk or 01603 499683

Community Care and Social Engagement for Older People

Values of Social Engagement: “ I do like coming to the group, because that’s my only day out of the week … the only time that I get a social talk together”. (78-year-old day centre user)

“ The group helped me a lot. It got me out again. It got me mixing with people again… ‘cause again, when you have a stroke – you not only lose your social life, you lose your confidence to go out and meet people, because you’re no longer how you were”.

(65-year-old stroke survivor at a craft group)

Devoted Carers in Crises:“We’ve gone to the Carers Groups and I haven’t seen these people before, but the carers, virtually all of them have been so close to the edge. They’ve been nearly in tears and they’re the most vulnerable people I’ve ever met …”

(Organiser of Carers Groups)

Fear over Public Spending Cuts: “I worry very much that Social Services are going to cut down my care …which they could do easily. I need it … I couldn’t manage without it. It enables me to stay in my own home, which is what I want… I do worry about uncertainty and what the future holds …”

(79-year-old disabled lady)

Unpaid Carers & Volunteers – ‘Big Society’ in Action:Norfolk’s Carers are the county’s unsung heroes:“At night I need turn her over in the bed … If she needs to get up to go to the loo … I have to help her stand up … I do most of the cooking … we’ve never had any outside care … I just provide care because … we live our life together.” (60-year-old carer of his disabled wife)

A mutual help network in the neighbourhood: “There’s a great network – all around the village … I go every week to see a couple of people living alone and in a care home. It’s not just me. All my friends visit people on their own … to have a chat, cup of tea etc. … there’s a wonderful system of people giving people lifts all round here … if you get too old, you can’t go and somebody will give you a lift … It happens all the time… I’m helping people and people are helping me. It’s a mutual thing...” (80-year-old frail widow)

Research Activities: 20 in-depth interviews conducted & analysed 10 community and carers groups visited Tutorials for UEA student volunteers provided ‘Engagement programme’ for hard-to-reach older

people, involving student volunteers in August 2011

Public Engagement: Presentation at Norfolk Carers Forum in June 2011 Sessions at Mattishall Primary School in June 2011 An Open Event at the Assembly House in Norwich

in September 2011 Public meetings & publications in Oct/Nov 2011

“Voices” from older people and care providers in Norfolk

Lunch Club