By Rosie Equi, CAN Trusted Reviewer
In a world where our ageing population and stretched healthcare system have led many to experience loneliness and unmet needs, the voluntary and community sector plays an invaluable role in supporting people’s health and wellbeing. I am therefore beyond proud to be a part of the Trusted Reviewer team at Community Action Network exploring opportunities to support people to connect with the wider community.
Our team has been working closely with Tricuro, who provides day-time support for adults with disabilities, a mental or physical condition, or dementia. We have been speaking with people who attend day centres, staff members, and those providing care at home, to facilitate ‘taster’ sessions in the community. These are an exciting opportunity for those who attend the centres to try something new, make new friends, and build a stronger connection with the community.
During this time, I have gained a valuable perspective on how beneficial engagement with the voluntary and community sector is for older adults. However, there remain challenges throughout this for many older adults, particularly those with dementia. Whilst we are working collaboratively to address these, such issues can directly link to my research outside of CAN.
As a PhD student at Bournemouth University, I am exploring the relationship between ‘social prescribing’, older adults’ wellbeing, and adult social care in the community. ‘Social prescribing’ involves supporting a person to connect with the community to address the social issues that are affecting their health, and has been widely promoted by the NHS in recent years.
My study aims to explore older adults’ experiences with social prescribing and opportunities within the community to identify the barriers and facilitators for older adults. The results of the study aim to contribute to enhanced support helping to promote community connection and healthy ageing. This is something I feel grateful and privileged to be working towards as both a Trusted Reviewer and PhD student.
The Trusted Reviewer team and I are looking to explore hosting a multiagency workshop to map pathways into social care for older adults, identifying opportunities and suitable entry points for community engagement. If you would like to be a part of this, please email me at rosie.equi@can100.org
Find out more about Trusted Reviewers.
To hear more about my PhD research, please email requi1@bournemouth.ac.uk
