Do experiences of loneliness differ across the lifespan?

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Gemma Wilson-Menzfeld and Alison Osborne review a nationally representative US survey which finds that loneliness affects people of all ages; particularly young adults, people in middle age, and also very old age.

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Volunteering in later life: good for our physical health, but more evidence needed on mental health

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Sophie Large summarises a recent Campbell Systematic Review, which explores the impact of volunteering on the physical and mental health of older volunteers.

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Living in anxious times? The rise of anxiety disorders in the UK

Close,Up,Frustrated,Thoughtful,Young,Woman,Thinking,About,Problems,,Sitting

Alice Grishkov and Derek Tracy explore a recent paper, which finds that generalised anxiety disorder is on the rise in the UK, especially in young women.

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Independent living: what matters most to very old people?

Older people with learning disabilities need opportunities to speak for themselves

Jill Manthorpe reports on an Australian qualitative study on what independent living means to very old people.

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Living positively with dementia: findings from a qualitative systematic review

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Clarissa Giebel finds a lot to discuss in a recent qualitative systematic review about living positively with dementia.

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Staff supporting people ageing with learning disabilities identify their needs for training

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Last week we posted a second blog about a project aimed at helping older people with learning disabilities have an active and inclusive retirement. The number of people with learning disabilities in England aged over 60 continues to rise with the most recent predictions suggesting that by 2030 the number of adults aged over 70 [read the full story…]

Supporting older people with learning disabilities with inclusive retirement

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A short while ago, we posted about the reflections of mentors in a programme in Australia aimed at helping older people get connected to and take part in community groups. The paper we are posting about today draws on data from that project. The researchers developed the project in the context of increasing numbers of [read the full story…]

Primary care must change to meet needs of population, says report

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The King’s Fund has just published this report, which describes how the health and social care workforce are coming up with new models for delivering primary care, to support the “current system of commissioning”. The report is aimed at commissioners, GP staff, and related stakeholders, including social care and local authorities, and promotes improved liaison [read the full story…]