Report 61: Co-production and participation: Older people with high support needs

Types of participation

Our society is ageist. It does not treat old people well or equally. It often ignores their human and civil rights

Branfield and Beresford 2010

Older people can participate as part of whole communities through civic forums, community councils, local area forums, committees and citizens' panels. As a specific community of interest, older people can participate through older people’s forums, Better Government for Older People, an Older People’s Assembly, older people’s networks, user panels, day centre or care home user groups, older persons’ services planning groups or forums, and project-specific working groups. At a practical level, this includes being able to influence services and policy development through setting agendas and participation at meetings, co-producing services with other stakeholders, being involved in the design and commissioning of research and services, involvement in inspections through the experts by experience programme and volunteering in the community.

At a more individual level, participation means being able to influence decisions about care and support during the process of assessment and care planning, and being able to organise personal budgets.