As a result of the discussions held at the later life forum in Cambridge covering the information challenges of the transforming social care agenda, we have created a short report on the key themes.

1. Later life
forum findings
Opportunity Links has been investigating the provision
of information for older people. Our initial exploratory
work revealed:
• hilst policy is becoming more cross-functional, local
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information provision varies widely by area, and is
largely fragmented
• here appears to be little sharing of good practice
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across initiatives or easy ways to re-use materials and
models between sectors.
To build on these findings, Opportunity Links held
a later life practitioners’ forum on 1 October 2008,
UK Older People’s Day. This brought together a small
group of specifically invited practitioners to share
learning and ideas around information for later life.
This briefing paper provides an overview of the key
themes that came out of the forum.
• 0% of the English population will be over the age of 65 by 2022
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• y 2027, the number of over-85-year-olds will have increased by 60%
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• ife expectancy will be 125 years by 2050
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• ithin a generation the number of carers is expected to rise from 6 million to 9.5 million
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2. Themes from the forum
The following key topics and themes were generated through discussion
and debate during the day.
Delivery Working together
How to deliver information to people in How to ensure information is joined up,
a way that they want and need complete and consistent across services
No “one size fits all” Build on what’s there
• se of multiple channels, formats and routes
U • earn from existing experts in information, such
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as Families Information Services, Age Concern and
• elivery needs to cater for different cultures,
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Citizens Advice Bureaux
languages and needs
• et discussion going and messages out through existing
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• oth specialist and broader generalist services
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forums and routes at both local and national level
are required
• basic leaflet with wide distribution can have a
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Quality
big impact
• ollow up the outcomes of information provision
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to ensure needs are met
Empowering
• reate and agree common standards to build in good
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• idespread feeling of “not knowing where to start”
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quality and consistency
• lder people and carers need to know they have a
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right to ask for information and support
Information needs
• eer support can help develop trust and broaden reach
P
• efine information needs and types of information
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• oin up information between local and national
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Reaching people
services and across public and third sector
• nformation needs to go to people rather than people
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• ook at cross-generational delivery of information
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to information
• ervices delivering information need to be trusted
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Points to address
• nformation should reflect the local context
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• dentify the existing sources of information
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• xplore organic ways of spreading information
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for older people
• inpoint the experts in each area
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Points to address
• here should the boundaries between services be?
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• ow to balance the need for broad ranging
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• eview how information can be shared across services
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information with the need for specialist expertise
and providers
• ould there be common branding across services
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• eaching people with information who are not on
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the usual radar
“I work in the sector and am in “People are people…
the age range, but didn’t know information shouldn’t
this local information existed” be segmented”

3. Triggers for change
“It’s not about What is needed to bring about change?
information
delivered, Demonstrate practical impact
• easure outcomes to provide evidence of impact
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it’s about • vercome barriers to finding out information
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from people
information Linking to the broader agenda
shared” • emonstrate the value of information in
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achieving broader policy and service objectives
• ighlight the need for information within
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policy documents
• ink with all relevant organisations and
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government departments
Funding
• rganisations have different approaches to
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and sources of funding including: commercial,
sponsorship, public funding and grants
• unding tends to be reactive rather than
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preventative
Points to address
• aising awareness of the value of information
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across policy areas
• eview joining together to have a single voice
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or network
• esearch how services could be funded to enable
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both trust and sustainability
“We need to have
both a top-down and
bottom-up approach”

4. Next steps
Outcomes from the forum to progress
• pecial interest groups to take forward
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key themes and points to address
• hare learning, good practice and models
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across agencies and initiatives
• ighlight key messages to strategic policy
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makers and influencers
Thanks to the organisations who contributed to the forum:
• randparents Plus
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• ge Concern England
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• tockton-On-Tees Families
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• ge Concern Cheshire
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Information Service
• ambridgeshire Older
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• he Papworth Trust
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People’s Enterprise
• illage Agents,
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• ounsel and Care
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Gloucestershire
• irst Stop
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To find out more, please contact enquiries@opp-links.org.uk