New paper published! Putting life in years....

Dr Danny Hind (Clinical Trials ResearchUnit, University of Sheffield) and others recently published a paper in the Journal of Public Health Research entitled: "Putting life in years (PLINY): a randomised controlled trial and mixed-methods process evaluation of a telephone friendship intervention to improve mental well-being in independently living older people".

The PLINY project aimed to assess whether or not telephone friendship groups can help improve the well-being of older adults in their own homes. The study aimed to recruit 248 participants in a year. 

GPs informed people ≤ 75 about the study and participants’ were then randomised to receive either the telephone friendship group or control group. All participants were asked about their quality of life at the beginning of the study and 6 months later.

Unfortunately, the trial closed early due to being unable to recruit a sufficient number of volunteers to run the service. 

This paper suggests that small voluntary sector organisations may be unable to recruit, train and retain adequate numbers of volunteers to implement services for the numbers of people who might benefit and identifies how these risks might be managed by using multiple providers and geographical sites to recruit and manage volunteers.

To access the paper please click here.

Age UK’s “Improving Later Life. Understanding the Oldest Old” report available

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Age UK has put together a report focussing on the lives of people over 85, bringing together international expert opinion to discuss challenges and issues faced along with the opportunities encountered and outlook on life taken by this population.

The RAT group’s Professor Gail Mountain is amongst the experts providing opinion and discussing research evidence on the life and health of the oldest old. Her key messages, as identified in the report, are based on previous and current research, including work done within the KT-Equal consortium and PLINY (Putting Life IN Years):

·      “Current assumptions and preconceptions about the inability of the oldest old to use the latest technology need to be challenged – everyone can use technology if they are adequately and consistently supported to do so.

·      As technology develops, even the oldest of us are beginning to use `mainstream’ devices, possibly reducing the need for specialist telecare products in the future”

Improving Later Life. Understanding the Oldest Old, p80

The full report is available to download here on the Age UK website.

Putting Life in Years (PLINY): Telephone friendship groups research study

The PLINY project has started recruiting participants this month. PLINY is a randomised control trial looking at the effectiveness of telephone friendship groups to improve wellbeing in people aged 75+. It is funded by the National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme and by Age UK.

The primary aim of the study is to determine whether a measurement of mental wellbeing significantly increases in participants who receive the telephone friendship intervention, compared with a control group who will receive no research intervention.

We also hope to establish whether or not telephone groups have a lasting impact on wellbeing as well as physical health. The study will use qualitative methods to identify any psychosocial and environmental factors, and any implementation issues, that may mediate the effectiveness of the intervention; these findings will be of value to the public and voluntary sector. Finally, economic evaluations will be conducted as there is the potential that an intervention to combat loneliness, like telephone friendship groups, are particularly important in times of limited budgets.

The study is looking to recruit 250 people who are aged 75 years or over, living independently, with good cognitive function and an ability to converse in English.

The intervention is being co-ordinated by Age UK Sheffield who have recruited a number of volunteers to facilitate the groups. Sheffield NHS Trusts and Sheffield City Council are assisting with identification of potential participants. For more information please, look at our project summary.

[Written by Louise Newbould]