Covid-19 Resources – Age UK Communications for Partners

Age UK’s Winter Health Campaign 2022/23 – Local Campaign Pack

Find out all the details of this year’s Winter Health Campaign from Age UK’s Health Influencing Team. You can also download the Local Campaign Pack below.

Age UK’s Health Influencing team is happy to announce the launch of our 2022/23 Winter Health Campaign! The Winter Health Campaign will hopefully play a crucial role in ensuring older people have access to the information, advice, and support that they need to navigate the upcoming winter months. Find full details below, including a Local Campaign Pack you can use to help inform and support your own local winter campaigns this year.

With pre-pandemic levels of social contact expected this winter, we are increasingly wary of the potential for co-circulation of influenza, Covid-19, and other respiratory issues to put increased pressure on the NHS during an already difficult time.

Taken together, it’s clear we are facing a perfect storm this winter. This is why we’re asking for your support with Age UK’s Winter Health Campaign for another year. By working together, we can ensure older people have access to the information, advice, and support that they need to navigate the upcoming winter months.

This campaign will take place between October 2022 and March 2023 and aims to support as many older people as possible through the winter period. Please find below the Age UK Winter Health Campaign local pack, which we hope will be a useful resource to help inform and support your own local winter campaigns this year:

Winter Health Campaign Pack 2022/23 Download

Please get in touch if you have any questions or require any further information – sophie.barrett@ageuk.org.uk. Thank you for supporting the campaign!

Age UK Campaigns Calendar – October to December 2022

The latest Age UK campaigns calendar is now available! It contains details on the influencing work Age UK will be focusing on from October to December 2022 – including how you can get involved.

The latest Age UK campaigns calendar is now available below! Covering national influencing activity by Age UK and upcoming awareness campaigns across October to December, this edition includes details of our upcoming campaigning work over the coming months.

The Calendar is available to download below:

Age UK Campaigns Calendar – Oct to Dec 2022 Download

Upcoming Events and Actions

We’ve highlighted below some of the most important events in the calendar that will be coming up over the next few weeks, including some details on the ways you can get involved if you have time:

Malnutrition Awareness Week – 10th to 16th October

Please share the resources made available on the website and tweet the hashtag – #UKMAW2022

Black History Month – throughout October

Please look out for and share the three Discover pieces set to go live on our website throughout October.

Carers Leave Private Members Bill – Second reading: 21st October

The bill will enshrine in employment law the Government’s pledge to provide five days of unpaid carers leave for all unpaid carers.
If you have time, please write to your MPs to ask and ask them to support the bill.

Debt and mid-term fiscal plan – 31st October

This has now been brought forward to the 31^st October (originally proposed for 23^rd November)
If you have time, please write to your MPs to make clear the need for: benefits to be uprated in line with inflation, targeted funding for NHS and social care, and extended support for energy bills for older and vulnerable people.

Befriending Week – 1st to 7th November

See if you can put on thank you events for befrienders in your local area.
Please share resources using the Befriending Networks resource pack and their website and post during the week on socials.

Get in touch!

If you have any questions about our upcoming campaigning and influencing, or if you have any suggestions for future editions of the campaigns calendar, please get in touch with Miles Bassett: miles.bassett@ageuk.org.uk.

Older people’s views on the ongoing impact of Covid on the delivery of Age UK Services

Highlights of the conversations Age UK has had with older people on their Services Sounding Board about their feelings on face-to-face services.

In recent months, the data and feedback we have collected from local Age UKs has indicated that there remains some reluctance on the part of older people to engage in face-to-face interaction, either in their home or at another venue. In light of this, we spoke to the Age UK Services Sounding Board about this issue to gather their views and help inform our next steps. You can view the highlights of this conversation below.

The Services Sounding Board is a group of older people, from different locations across England, who represent seldom-heard voices (for example carers, people from a range of ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, people whose first language is not English).

The conversation at the Sounding Board provided useful insight, a few highlights summarised below:

Many older people have lost confidence and remain concerned about the risks around Covid. One person said “fear can easily become a habit”.
People think more carefully before leaving the house. Following Covid, they realise what is possible without needing to go out so, if it isn’t essential, they may choose not to.
For some people, there is a reluctance to use public transport and risk being exposed to Covid, but for those who don’t have a car, it is more difficult to get out and about.
There was no consensus from the group as to what steps in relation to Covid should or shouldn’t be taken in order to keep people safe. For example, some people stated that use of hand sanitiser is essential, others felt it was useful in general hygiene but has minimal impact on the spread of Covid.
Where services are taking steps to keep people safe from Covid, they should ensure this is clear so people know in advance of coming along to any activity.
Messaging could come from the facilitator of the relevant service/activity to demonstrate a personal awareness of the issues.
The group felt that there is a lack of clear messaging about how to stay safe. Many people have remained mindful of the “stay at home” message, which has remained one clear way to protect yourself. The mixed messages about other aspects of Covid safety have led to confusion and caution as a result.

The feedback from the group has been shared with the Age UK Content team and Age UK’s Covid information and messaging will be reviewed as a result. We hope that the feedback above is useful for in considering any steps that can be taken to encourage older people to access services in-person (where this is beneficial for them).

If you have any additional feedback or comments, or would like to discuss this further, please contact Alison Ingram – alison.ingram@ageuk.org.uk.

Impact of Covid-19 on Older People – 4th wave research report & fact sheet

Age UK’s Health Influencing Team have shared the report, presentation, and polling data for the fourth wave of their research into the impact of Covid-19 on older people.

The Health Influencing team are pleased to share the fourth wave of research into the impact of Covid-19 on older people. The latest research, conducted in March and April 2022, has shown a slight improvement across many areas of life, but nowhere near as much as we would have expected or liked to see. View the full research report, along with slides and the polling stats, below.

Please note that the results from our research have not been published yet by Age UK, so we request that these are only used for bids and presentations to aide local health and care system influencing, not local media or for open publication. If you have any questions, please contact Healthinfluencing@ageuk.org.uk.

Access the report, the slides, and the polling stats:

Wave Four Research Report

Wave Four PowerPoint Presentation

Wave Four Polling Results Spring 2022

View the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd waves of research:

The impact of Covid-19 on older people (1st wave)

The impact of Covid-19 on older people (2nd wave)

The impact of Covid-19 on older people (3rd wave)

Get in touch!

If you have any questions, please contact Healthinfluencing@ageuk.org.uk.

Age UK Campaigns Calendar – Third Quarter 2022

The latest Age UK campaigns calendar is now available! It contains details on the influencing work Age UK will be focusing on in the third quarter of 2022 – including how you can get involved.

The latest Age UK campaigns calendar is now available below! Covering national influencing activity by Age UK and upcoming awareness campaigns across July – September, this edition includes details of our upcoming work on social care reforms, the cost of living, and some key legislation and policy changes coming from the Government.

Please note: much of this iteration of the Campaigns Calendar was written before the Prime Minister resigned and the contest for the new leadership of the Conservative party began. As such, these timings are subject to change. Please keep an eye on the daily Signpost emails for updates on our Campaigns and Influencing activity. If you would like to sign up for Signpost emails please use this form.

If you have any questions about our upcoming campaigning and influencing, or if you have any suggestions for future editions of the campaigns calendar, please get in touch with Luke Pilot: luke.pilot@ageuk.org.uk.

The Calendar is available to view and download below. We’ll also host in on our Campaigns Hub here.

Age UK Campaigns Calendar – July to Sept 2022 Download

NHSE Seasonal Surge Support: do you want to join the framework ahead of this winter?

Age UK are seeking expressions of interest from partners who would like to join the Seasonal Surge Support Framework for this winter. Read on for details, including how to express your interest before the August 1st deadline.

The British Red Cross (BRC) currently holds a contract with NHS England (NHSE) to deliver seasonal surge capacity and support to areas where the NHS is experiencing high demand. The aim of the contract is to provide surge capacity to support Pathway 0 patient flow through hospital discharge and community wrap around support.

The NHS frontline is always under considerable pressure over the winter period as demand for services tends to increase significantly with the onset of cold weather and flu and the continued presence of the coronavirus. This coming winter will be no exception, with some parts of the country and systems already anticipating extreme levels of pressure. Consequently, the BRC are seeking experienced providers to join their seasonal surge provider call-off framework in readiness for the coming winter. They are encouraging more local Age UKs to join the framework in addition to the eleven local Age UKs who are already participating.

The Seasonal Surge provider call-off framework reopens the week commencing 8^th August. Applications, along with completion of a requisite due diligence questionnaire, will need to be submitted in early September. On submission of the questionnaire the BRC will review responses and come back with any clarifications. It is the intention to have the process completed by the end of September with sub-contracting being undertaken in October.

Whilst securing a place on the framework does not guarantee future call off, it remains a potential opportunity to receive contract funding and be well-positioned to provide seasonal surge support throughout the duration of the Seasonal Surge Contract (until March 2025) if successfully onboarded to the framework.

The ambition here is to stand ready to support as many NHS sites as possible with critical capacity to enable more people to return home from hospital safely and prevent readmissions.

We are seeking your expression of interest to join the framework ahead of this winter.

Local Age UKs are being invited to indicate their interest in joining the framework. This would suit those operating services that meet the following requirements:

Assisted Discharge – Reducing hospital length of stay by supporting people who are medically fit to get home quickly and safely, including provision of transport home and settle-in at home services
Community Wrap Around Support – Reducing avoidable readmissions through provision of community-based support services for up to four weeks, including support to reduce deterioration for individuals who are considered vulnerable

To indicate your interest and receive more information, click here to complete your details by the 1^st of August. It takes less than one minute!

You will also be asked to indicate your interest in participating in an hour-long event on the week commencing 8^th of August, where you and other brand partners can learn more about the Seasonal Surge Programme, mobilisation and delivery needs, the call-off framework process, including the support available from the BRC throughout the stages of the onboarding process, including registering a supplier account and completion of a due diligence questionnaire.

If you any questions, please contact Kirsty.gaskell-sinclair@ageuk.org.uk

ADAPT: the South Asian Dementia Pathway Toolkit

ADAPT is a new online toolkit to help provide enhanced dementia care for South Asian communities. Find out all about the toolkit and where to access it.

Funded by the National Institute for Health Research, “ADAPT: the South Asian Dementia Pathway Toolkit”, is a new online toolkit to help provide enhanced dementia care for South Asian communities by sharing more accessible, tailored resources so that service providers can give more culturally appropriate care. The toolkit includes films, animations, assessments & more – all culturally & linguistically adapted for South Asian communities. Click here to access the toolkit.

Carers Week 6th – 12th June – How to get involved

Carers Week 2022 has begun and runs until 12^th June! We will be highlighting the huge contributions of carers and the 2 million older carers in the UK, whose vital work makes a huge difference to those who need their support. This year’s theme is to ensure carers are Visible, Valued and Supported.

Get involved in Carers Week

We wrote to you in May about the partner pack to help local Age UKs get involved in the week. You can use these graphics about older carers to share online, as well as template social media posts and a template letter to editor for local press engagement.

You can also find official Carers Week graphics for download here.

Carers Week 2022 Activity

We have written a Discover article about the focus of Carers Week 2022, which calls on the Government to create and fund a short-term recovery and respite plan to ensure carers get the support they need and can finally take a restorative break. We will also attend an MP drop-in event in Parliament on Wednesday 8^th June, and some virtual drop-ins throughout the week, to share the experiences of older carers with MPs and demonstrate the need for proper and timely support for unpaid carers.

The Carers Week report will be published on Wednesday 8^th June. This urgent report highlights the effects of the pat few years on unpaid carers and provides details about what a proper recovery and respite plan would feature. We will send you a reminder when the report has been published, with template social media posts to promote it, or you can retweet the Age UK Twitter account.

Don’t forget to add your Carers Week events to the Carers Week website to show everyone the activities you have planned!

Join our call for a recovery & respite plan

We are also supporting Carers UK’s call for a recovery and respite plan, by asking supporters to write to their MP and ask them to support the delivery of this plan. You can share and encourage your supporters to join the call here. You can also promote the call online with the following social media templates:

Twitter

This #CarersWeek2022 we are calling on the Government to provide a proper respite and recovery plan for unpaid carers.

Join our call and write to your MP today

Facebook

Taking a break should be a normal part of everyone’s daily life. Even before the pandemic, many carers were supporting their loved ones 24/7. After 2 gruelling years, they really need a break, but many still do not have the option.

We are calling on the Government to provide a proper respite and recovery plan for unpaid carers. Join our call and write to your MP here.

If you have any queries, please contact luke.pilot@ageuk.org.uk We look forward to celebrating our incredible carers with you!

Sources of Support for Local Partners – Latest Information for Spring 2022

Get help and support for your organisation via the latest edition of the Quality and Transformation Team’s Sources of Support document.

Navigating the ‘new normal’ can be difficult but Age UK’s Quality and Transformation Team can offer you support to tackle some of the challenges you face. In the latest edition of their “Sources of Support” guide there’s up-to-date insight on managing your organisation’s finances and you can also find out more about Age UK’s e-Learning platform along with other resources that can help support staff development.

The guide draws together a range of useful resources which can either be accessed directly (via this site, The Loop or through external organisations) or by contacting your Regional Link (contact details for Regional Links are listed in the guide).

We want this guide to be as useful as possible, so please let us know if you have found it helpful or if you have any questions, comments or concerns please email partnership@ageuk.org.uk.

The full guide can be viewed or downloaded below:

Sources of Support – Spring Summer 2022 Download

Reminder: Dementia Awareness eLearning Available

A quick reminder that there are three dementia awareness eLearning modules developed by Alzheimer’s Society available to the Age UK Network until July 2022.

This is a quick reminder that there are three dementia awareness eLearning modules available to the Age UK Network. Whether you work directly with those living with dementia or not, we hope this eLearning will help to equip Age UK staff and volunteers with the skills and confidence to communicate with people living with dementia, face to face and virtually. Currently the Age UK Network’s access to these modules will end this July, so find out all the details below.

The three eLearning modules are:

Understanding dementia
Engaging with people in the early stages of dementia
Responding to distressed behaviours

Who can complete the Dementia eLearning?

All modules are open to everyone, all staff, and volunteers. Every learner will receive a certificate upon completion.

How were these modules developed?

These new modules were developed by Alzheimer’s Society.

When should I complete the modules?

Currently the Age UK Network’s access will end at the start of July 2022, so best to complete them sooner rather than later!

Please note, it may take up to one hour for the course to be marked as completed and for you to receive the certificate in your inbox. We thank you in advance for your patience.

How long is each module?

Each module takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. Once you start, you can save any progress and come back to it.

How do I access these modules?

If you already have an eLearning account, this course will automatically appear under the “learning” section of your dashboard in the eLearning site. You can access it straight away and no action is needed.

If you need to sign up, please complete this form.

Please note that registration to the e-learning site may take a few days. You will receive an email with your log in information once you have been registered.

What do I do once I am logged in?

If you cannot see the modules on your dashboard when you log in, you can find it either by:

Clicking onto ‘courses’ and then ‘Dementia eLearning’; or
Using the search bar on your home page by typing in ‘Age UK Dementia E-learning Programme’.

If you have any questions on access to the e-learning site, please contact: adviceunit@ageuk.org.uk

What other e-learning is available from Age UK?

For a number of years, Age UK has provided a range of e-learning options to support Partners’ delivery of training online to your staff and volunteers. This includes the Age UK e-learning Platform and Grey Matter Learning – find out all about both training platforms here.