Help-at-home for older people: economic evidence

Author(s)

BAUER Annette, TINELLI Michela, GUY Danielle

Publisher(s):

London School of Economics and Political Science, Care Policy and Evaluation Cen

Publication year:

2019

This case summary provides economic evidence on Help-at-home schemes for older people, drawing on an economic evaluation of a scheme run by Age UK in England. Help-at-home schemes are usually run by voluntary and community organisations, and provide older people with a range of community support services to support older people living in their own homes. These services can include emotional, social, practical and financial support. Evidence from the evaluation suggests that Help-at-home schemes save local government and the NHS around £1500 per person per year, owing to people remaining longer in their homes, fewer GP appointments, and fewer hospital admissions. Volunteers providing support may also benefit, making them more likely to find jobs after gaining skills through volunteering. The summary notes that many of the benefits of help-at-home schemes are likely to depend on local infrastructures and how such schemes are run, making it hard to generalise their value. (Edited publisher abstract)