1. M. Murray, T.S. Scharf, R. Beech, & S. Maslin-Prothero
Engaging older people in research in disadvantaged communities: the challenge of participatory approaches
M. Murray, T.S. Scharf, R. Beech, & S. Maslin-Prothero
British Society of Gerontology, Annual Conference, Bristol, 4-6 September.

2. Summary Description of NDA CALL-ME project Development of project
Implementation of project
Challenges

3. Background
Previous research highlights key challenges faced by older people in disadvantaged urban communities
There is limited work that explores how new initiatives can begin to address older people’s concerns and to clarify the issues involved in promoting independence and social engagement or active ageing.
This project moves away from an assessment of the problems associated with ageing in disadvantaged urban communities towards a new focus on the ways in which community action by older people can contribute to active ageing.

4. PROJECT AIMS
To clarify the issues older people resident in disadvantaged communities themselves identify as important regarding social engagement and independence;
To assess the impact of different community initiatives on active ageing;
To identify the particular social and psychological processes involved in promoting active ageing through such community initiatives; and
To develop policy recommendations for promoting active ageing in disadvantaged communities.

5. Setting
The research is based in four disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Manchester.
The city of Manchester represents an ideal setting for the study, given the presence of a variety of initiatives, which aim to promote health and community well-being.
However, these initiatives have often been disconnected and have had limited formal evaluation.

7. Community initiatives
The impact of four different community initiatives will be explored:
A community welfare advice initiative;
A community arts initiative;
A community health technology initiative; and
A community health initiative
The types of community initiative have been chosen not only because they build on existing work within the study communities, but also because of their contrasting approaches to social engagement and their potential policy relevance.

8. Approach
The study adopts a participatory action design. This involves a cycle of research, encompassing:
Agenda setting (assessing community concerns, collecting basic data);
Planning (facilitating development of objectives, helping to develop an action plan);
Implementation (action coupled with monitoring the process, communicating information); and
Outcome (assessing community competence, detecting community outcomes, developing new action plans).

9. Involvement of older people
Older people will provide information on their experiences and will also be involved as co-researchers in developing strategies for change and social engagement;
Older people will be involved in the management of the study (through project coordinating groups) and ensuring that the project meets its objectives (through a project advisory group);
Older people will be involved – through relevant age-sector organisations (including Help the Aged and Age Concern) – in taking the research forward.

10. Challenges Accessing the hard-to-reach
Meetings with wide range of community organisations
Similar challenge identified by them
Many organisations cater for sub-groups

11. Challenges Doing participatory action research with older people
Some older people keen to participate
Focus often on limited inward looking projects
Challenge in developing more inclusive projects

12. Challenges Independence and/versus social engagement
Informal discussion with some older people indicate they are proud of their independence and apparent limited social engagement
Seems to be a strategy for dealing with adversity – they are not placing demands on anyone

13. Challenges Ethical considerations in doing community-based research
Long time engagement with large number of people
Challenge of ensuring that all give consent
Aim is to involve them in report development

14. Research team Core team Research Associate (NDA funded)
Michael Murray, Tom Scharf, Sian Maslin-Prothero, Roger Beech
Research Associate (NDA funded)
Freiderike Ziegler
Research Students
Amanda Crummett, Sharon Middling, Jan Bailey
Administrator
Amy Bennion
Partners
Manchester City Council