The University of Sheffield
The School of Nursing and Midwifery

Research: Supportive Care in Later Life (Formerly 'Older People')

Caring for older people image

This research theme is concerned with exploring the ways in which partnerships can be formed between older people, families and paid carers in order to generate knowledge that contributes both to greater theoretical understanding and enhanced service delivery.

Research summary and principal aims

Work in this area has been a consistent area of activity since the School of Nursing´s inception in 1995 and contributes to the University of Sheffield´s reputation as one of the foremost centres for the study of ageing.

By working closely with older people, family and paid carers we aim to explore the characteristics of, and factors that create `enriched environments´ of care in which the quality of life of older people and their family carers is enhanced, and the job satisfaction and morale of staff is raised.

We have close links with several other departments in the University, especially the Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing (SISA), and well established international links, especially with Sweden.

Visit the Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing (SISA) website

Several significant streams of work are being taken forward, including:

Family carers
Work with family carers has been a feature of activity for over 15 years and has involved: the development of new assessment frameworks, together with colleagues in Sweden and Canada; the creation of a user-focused research and development centre for older people, families, practitioners and policy-makers in Sweden (ÄldreVäst Sjuhärad); on-going work with the information and communication technology based ACTION project in Sweden; participation with colleagues in SISA in a number of EU funded R&D projects; work with families caring for people with severe mental illness.

Senses Framework and Relationship-Centred Care
Work across the theme in education, dementia care, care homes, and with carers has seen the further elaboration of the Senses Framework and Relationship-Centred Care as a new model underpinning practice with older people and their families and education for practitioners.

This saw the emergence of new practice tools, based on the Senses Framework, for example, the CARE (Combined Assessment of Residential Environments) profiles which have attracted international interest, and the development of innovative dissemination methods using multi-media applications. Relationship-Centred Care and the Senses Framework currently underpin Help the Aged´s major new initiative My Home Life, and are being used by the Care Commission in Scotland to inform new national standards for care homes.

National Care Home Research and Development Forum (NCRDF)
Work in care homes not only stimulated the development of the CARE profiles, but has also been instrumental in the launch of the National Care Home Research and Development Forum (NCRDF) consolidating links between academics, providers, users and practitioners in this vital area.

Adult protection and elder abuse
Adult protection and elder abuse have been a stream of the research group since 2004. A major Department of Health funded study over 3 years has concerned 'Partnerships and Regulation in Adult Protection' and there has also been a Project Management role within the UK Study of Elder Abuse and Neglect, funded by Comic Relief and the Department of Health.

Both of these studies have involved discussions with the Department of Health and the Scottish Executive and these are likely to be ongoing. The work is being taken forward through a Research into Practice for Adults (RIPFA) Change Project on Adult Protection and active international links are being established/maintained, particularly with colleagues in Europe.

Sexuality and older people
Working in close collaboration with colleagues at SISA, this stream of work focuses upon the much neglected area of sexuality and ageing. Of particular interest are sexual and reproductive health issues across the life-course. Within this context, work has addressed various psychosocial aspects of health & healthcare, including barriers to accessing (sexual) healthcare services and impact of health conditions upon psychological well-being.

End of life care

Key projects

Key publications

S Nolan, M R, Hanson, E, Grant, G and Keady, J (Eds) (In press)

User Participation in Health and Social Care Research: Voices, Values and Evaluation. Open University Press.

Nolan, M R, Brown, J, Davies, S, Nolan, J and Keady, J (2006)
The Senses Framework: Improving Care for Older People Through a Relationship-Centred Approach. Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) Report No 2, University of Sheffield.

Hanson, E, Nolan, J, Magnusson, L, Sennemark, E, Johansson, L and Nolan, M R (2006)
COAT: The Carers Outcome Agreement Tool: A new approach to working with family carers. Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) Report No 1, University of Sheffield.

Nolan M R, Lundh U, Grant G and Keady J (2003) (Eds)
Partnerships in Family Care: understanding the caregiving career. Open University Press, Maidenhead.

Key achievements

People

Each person´s name links through to their personal profile where available.

Postgraduate researchers