Optimising cultural provision to improve older people's wellbeing through social prescribing in the context of COVID-19: Realist review and evaluation

  • Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
  • Total publications:4 publications

Grant number: AH/V008781/1

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Key facts

  • Disease

    COVID-19
  • Known Financial Commitments (USD)

    $333,687.13
  • Funder

    UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
  • Principal Investigator

    Kamal Ram Mahtani
  • Research Location

    United Kingdom
  • Lead Research Institution

    University of Oxford
  • Research Priority Alignment

    N/A
  • Research Category

    Policies for public health, disease control & community resilience

  • Research Subcategory

    Approaches to public health interventions

  • Special Interest Tags

    N/A

  • Study Type

    Non-Clinical

  • Clinical Trial Details

    N/A

  • Broad Policy Alignment

    Pending

  • Age Group

    Older adults (65 and older)

  • Vulnerable Population

    Unspecified

  • Occupations of Interest

    Unspecified

Abstract

In recent years, cultural institutions have supported public wellbeing (e.g. increasing offers of activities and volunteering opportunities) and can be considered 'community assets' that are central to social prescribing. Social prescribing aims to empower people to address 'non-medical' challenges (e.g. isolation, anxiety, low mood) that affect how they feel physically and psychologically. The NHS has seen the introduction of link workers, employed to work in GP practices to facilitate social prescribing by connecting people to community assets (e.g. groups, organisations, charities). This might include connections to cultural institutions, which can ameliorate social isolation and give people a focus away from their worries. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting what the cultural sector can offer, at a time when significant mental and/or social consequences of the crisis are anticipated, especially among older people. From the outset, this population was identified as 'at risk' from the condition itself and responses to it, including extreme isolation, especially if unfamiliar with online communication. Our research will explore how cultural institutions adapt to support older people's wellbeing. This will allow us to provide recommendations on being 'referral-ready'[1] cultural institutions for social prescribing for older people in the context of the current pandemic and future ones. We will use a realist approach to explore what works, for whom, why and in what circumstances. We will synthesise existing evidence to develop a programme theory on how cultural institutions might be best mobilised and engaged to support older people's resilience during and after the pandemic. We will refine this programme theory by testing it through further data collection: interviews with older people/cultural institution staff and survey with link workers.

Publicationslinked via Europe PMC

Last Updated:4 hours ago

View all publications at Europe PMC

Understanding and Improving Older People's Well-Being through Social Prescribing Involving the Cultural Sector: Interviews from a Realist Evaluation.

Tailoring cultural offers to meet the needs of older people during uncertain times: a rapid realist review.

Social prescribing for older people and the role of the cultural sector during the COVID-19 pandemic: What are link workers' views and experiences?

Supporting social prescribing in primary care by linking people to local assets: a realist review.