Bereavement and Loss: a guide for hospital staff
(Dignity on the Ward)
As part of its Dignity on the Ward campaign, Help the Aged commissioned a series of pocket guides. We hope that this guide will help hospital staff to understand better the needs of vulnerable older patients and their families and perhaps to appreciate more fully the importance of taking a person-centred approach.

ISBN: 1-84598-005-0
Date of publication: 2007
Pages: 18
Price: £1.50

Best Foot Forward: older people and foot care
Professor Ray Jones, Professor Jackie Campbell et al
One in four people aged over 65 needs podiatric care but is not receiving it. This report by experts from the University of Plymouth and University College Northampton looks at the scale of unmet need among the older population and the likely longer-term outcome of not providing low-level podiatric services. It also suggests some innovative and cost-effective alternatives to traditional service delivery that could offer a way forward.

ISBN: 1-904528-97-X
Date of publication: 2005
Pages: 44
Price: £5
Download a free summary of Best Foot Forward

Be Strong, Be Steady (Video/DVD)
This video presents a programme of chair-based and standing exercises devised specifically for older people that if done regularly will strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and improve balance - all of which can reduce the risk of falls.
English plus new Cantonese / Punjabi / Bengali editions as video. English version only available in DVD. 

Date of publication: 2004/5
Running time: 58 minutes
Price: £12

The Challenge of Dignity in Care: upholding the rights of the individual
Ros Levenson
Dignity is a word much used, seldom interpreted and too rarely experienced by older people when they need care. Help the Aged believes the time has come for us all to declare our commitment to reversing the state of affairs. This report is our contribution to what we hope will be a determined and sustained drive to raise standards of care and behaviour. It is our own Dignity Challenge.

Date of publication: 2007
Pages: 56
Price: Free
Download The Challenge of Dignity in Care

Depression and Older People: towards securing well-being in later life
Mary Godfrey with Tracy Denby
Depression is the commonest mental health problem among older people, affecting about one in eight who live at home and 40 per cent of those living in care homes. Ill health, disability, bereavement and ‘daily hassles’ are all contributory factors. But depression is not an inevitable part of growing old. Promoting a concept of ‘successful ageing’ developed at the Nuffield Institute for Health, the report calls for improved health and care services to improve older people’s quality of life through meaningful activities, socialising and help in adjusting to loss.

ISBN: 1-86134-642-5
Date of publication: 2004
Pages: 54
Price: £14.99 (plus £2.75 p&p)
Published by The Policy Press in association with Help the Aged.
Available from Marston Book Services (Tel. 01235 465500 or email Marston Book services)
Download a free summary of Depression and Older People: towards securing well-being in later life (PDF,159k)

Don’t Mention the F-word!
Practitioner’s summary of 'Encouraging Positive Attitudes to Falls Prevention in Later Life' on communicating falls prevention messages to older people.

Date of publication: 2005
Pages: 4
Price: Free
Download Don't Mention the F-word! (PDF,64k)

Dying: a guide for hospital staff (Dignity on the Ward)
Pocket guide to best practice during the approach to death.

ISBN: 978-1-84598-037-5   
Date of publication: 2008
Pages: 20
Price: £2.00

Dying in Older Age
Edited by Tom Owen
This summary of End-of-life Care (see below) includes specially commissioned photographs of the older people whose articles are featured. It calls for dying, so often a taboo subject, to integral stage of life, when we should be able to expect the same concern for quality and fairness that we do for other life events.

ISBN: 1-904528-94-5
Date of publication: 2005
Pages: 44
Price: £5

Encouraging Positive Attitudes to Falls Prevention in Later Life
Professor Lucy Yardley and Professor Chris Todd
Although falls in later life are very common and can lead to distress, injury, loss of independence and even death, persuading older people to take some basic preventive measures can be a frustrating task. Many regard advice on health care checks, reducing hazards in the home and doing exercises to improve strength and balance as common sense, hence faintly patronising – and in any case something that does not apply to them, but to someone older. This report addresses the psychology of falls and suggests ways to improve take-up of the preventive help on offer.

ISBN: 1-904528-87-2
Date of publication: 2005
Pages: 56
Price: £7.50

End-of-life Care
This overview of mortality in the UK looks at the end-of-life experiences of older people, including those suffering from heart failure and dementia. It surveys the types of care provided and the environments in which death occurs. If a 'good death' means that a person has privacy, dignity, good quality care in comfortable surroundings, adequate pain relief and respect for personal preferences, many people cannot expect to have one. The report calls for better end-of-life care to be made a public health priority.
Published by The Policy Press in association with Help the Aged.
Contact Marston Book Services for availability (Tel: 01235 465500 or email Marston Book Services)

ISBN: 13-978-1-86134-761-9
Date of publication: 2005, reprinted October 2006
Pages: 86
Price: £14.99 (plus £2.75 p&p)

The Evaporation Effect
This is the final evaluation of the Help the Aged Intermediate Care Programme for Older People, drawing attention to the hardship caused by the 'evaporation' of intermediate care after a matter of weeks, when the need is clearly for continuing care.

ISBN: 1-84598-017-4
Date of publication: 2006
Pages: 48
Price: £8

Falling Short: the state of our pavements
An investigation of the UK’s pavements undertaken for National Falls Awareness Day.

Date of publication: 2008
Pages: 14
Price: Free
Download Falling Short 

Incontinence and Older People: is there a link to social isolation?
Twenty interviews with people about the impact of incontinence on the quality of their life, and the coping mechanisms they have had to develop.

Date of publication: 2007
Pages: 69
Price: Free
Download Incontinence and Older People 

Intermediate Care and Older People: building a case for continuous care
The Help the Aged Intermediate Care Programme for Older People aimed to establish an integrated service in which the needs of the older person came first and the contribution of the voluntary and community sector was seamlessly interwoven with that of the health and social care services. Volunteers were able to fill the gaps left by statutory provision, and according to service users, made a dramatic difference to the social rehabilitation of frail older people recovering from illness. This report makes a compelling case for continuing care, but the current attitude of service commissioners does not bode well for the longer-term provision of low-level support.

ISBN: 1-84598-015-8
Date of publication: 2006
Pages: 32
Price: Free
Download Intermediate Care and Older People: building a case for continuous care

Listening to Older People:  opening the door for older people to explore end-of-life issues
Few older people get the chance to discuss issues relating to death and dying, but when Help the Aged held a series of ‘listening events’ to facilitate such discussions, the participants welcomed the opportunity. They talked about care and treatment options, spiritual and emotional needs, coping with bereavement and how to communicate wishes to close family. This report, with a foreword by Professor Ian Philp, National Director for Older People's Services, captures the conversations and makes recommendations for practitioners and policy-makers.

ISBN:  1-84598-004-2
Date of publication: 2006
Pages: 36 
Price: £8
Download Listening to Older People (PDF, 291k)

My Home Life: quality of life in care homes
What is it really like to live in a care home and how can quality of life for care-home residents be optimised? The report presents personal accounts from care-home residents on the experience of being in a care home, along with a review of practices that make a positive difference to their quality of life.This publication forms part of a long-term Help the Aged programme to improve the lives of people in care homes.

ISBN: 1-84598-002-6
Date of publication: 2006
Pages: 80
Price: £10
Download My Home Life Executive Summary (PDF,129k)

My Home Life: quality of life in care homes – a review of the literature
Research and experiential evidence from stakeholders on practice and other factors impacting upon care-home residents’ quality of life.

Date of publication: 2007
Pages: 186
Price: Free
Download My Home Life review of literature (PDF,794k)

Older Men, Work and Health: reviewing the evidence
TAEN – The Aged and Employment Network
This report aims to complement Older Women, Work and Health, published in 2006, by providing an overview of the literature regarding the complex interrelationships between work and health among older men. Three significant themes emerge from the review, including the central role that work plays in the lives and identity of men; how the occupational histories of men expose them to work-related and work-caused ill-health; and how the successful targeting of men regarding health promotion requires specific action. It is these findings that have implications for future research, policy formulation and implementation, and for public health practice.

Date of publication: 2008
Pages: 36 
Price: Free
Download Older Men, Work and Health (images have been omitted to reduce file size)

Older Women, Work and Health: reviewing the evidence 
Physical and mental issues considered in the context of age and gender as the number of older women in the workforce grows apace.

Date of publication: 2006
Pages: 24 
Price: Free
Download Older Women, Work and Health  via www.taen.org.uk/resources

Pain and Older People (Dignity on the Ward)   [cover]
Practical advice for hospital staff. 

ISBN: 978-84598-031- 3
Date of publication: 2008
Pages: 18 
Price: £2.00

Planning for Choice in End-of-life Care
Developed from a series of 'listening events' held by Help the Aged to facilitate discussion among older people of death and dying issues, this booklet explores options for care and treatment at the end of life, and especially the issue of advance statements, or 'living wills'. 

ISBN:  1-84598-002-6
Date of publication: April 2006
Pages: 48 
Price: £2
Download a free copy of Planning for Choice in End-of-life Care (PDF, 523k)

Planning for the End of Life
Foreword by Claire Rayner
This booklet for the general public, relatives and carers addresses the emotional, financial and practical issues people face at this stage of life.

ISBN: 1-904528-96-1
Date of publication: 2005
Pages: 36
Price: £2.50 (previously £5.00)

Promoting Dignity in Hospital
(Dignity on the Ward)
As part of its Dignity on the Ward campaign, Help the Aged commissioned a series of pocket guides. We hope that this guide will help hospital staff to understand better the needs of vulnerable older patients and their families and perhaps to appreciate more fully the importance of taking a person-centred approach.

ISBN: 1-84598-000-X
Date of publication: 2007
Pages: 8
Price: £1.50

Putting a Stop to the Abuse of Older People   
The harming or mistreating of older people is surprisingly common but is often well hidden. This booklet explains what to look out for and how to help.

ISBN: 1-904528-98-8 
Date of publication: 2006
Pages: 10
Price: Free
Download Putting a Stop to the Abuse of Older People

Step to the Future (Video/DVD)
According to a recent survey, 81 per cent of men and 87 per cent of women aged 55 and over do not reach the recommended levels of physical activity to benefit health.  Presented by nonagenarian Seona Ross, who has over 65 years of exercise experience, the aerobic endurance and strength exercises demonstrated here include standing, chair-based and floor exercises, all devised specially for older people and set to an uplifting musical soundtrack. 

Date of production: 2006
Running time: 90 minutes
Price: £12.00 (DVD also contains options for English subtitles and a Hindi voiceover) 

Strength and Balance Exercises for Healthy Ageing
Presented in a convenient, wire-bound flip-over format, this collection of strength and balance exercises can safely be undertaken by older people at home. It was produced by Help the Aged in collaboration with Wandsworth Primary Care Trust and Camden Active Health Team (London Borough of Camden).

ISBN: 1-845980-008-5
Date of publication: 2006
Pages: 24
Price: £6
Download Strength and balance exercises for healthy ageing (PDF,699k) 

Taking Control of Incontinence
How older people cope with this common problem

Date of publication: 2007
Pages: 14
Price: Free
Download Taking Control of Incontinence 

Underfunded, Undervalued and Unfit: a fresh approach to social care for older people in England
This is not another assessment of the sorry plight of social care in England. Instead it is a call for action on three fronts: to get the debate about the future of social care into the public domain, to make short and medium-term recommendations which could take us more effectively along that road, and to emphasise that if our care system is to deliver to its full potential, it needs to be seen in a much broader social context. We want to move forward to a new system and we believe the vital ingredients for making this advance are already available. The question is: what are we waiting for?

Date of publication: 2007
Pages: 28
Price: Free
Download Underfunded, Undervalued and Unfit: A fresh approach to social care for older people in England

Working with Hospital Patients with Dementia or Confusion: a guide for hospital staff
(Dignity on the Ward)
A revised edition of the pocket guide for health professionals developed with the Royal College of Nursing as part of the Help the Aged Dignity on the Ward campaign.  This compact guide contains practical information on caring for patients with dementia and acute confusion on hospital wards. It also provides a list of key do's and don’ts and is a useful resource for staff working with older patients on acute wards.

ISBN: 1-84598-005-0
Date of publication: 2006
Pages: 14
Price: £1