The Prama Foundation will research the numbers of people ageing without children in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and the issues affecting them. We will bring people ageing without children together to create their own support networks; develop and test key messages that resonate with organisations and communities to make them AWOC aware and provide training to organisations about people ageing without children and the issues affecting them.
Public policy and social attitudes towards ageing are based on a set of deeply rooted assumptions about older people's ability to access care, support, advice and companionship from their adult children. However, a significant minority of older people - already 1 million of those over 65, rising to 2 million by 2030 in the U.K - are experiencing later life without these relationships. This trend has the potential to impact substantially on our ageing society. This is a global phenomenon.
As a result of this project, people ageing without children will feel a sense of connection with each other and benefit from peer support. People ageing without "traditional nuclear family" support will be able to identify networks and services that will enable them to retain their independence and dignity, reducing costs of service provision through the building of communities. The wider community and local government will have a greater understanding of people ageing without children.
Local organisations in the statutory, private and third sectors concerned with older people will be aware of the issues of ageing without children and will involve people ageing without children in planning and delivering local service change. We shall be able to share our findings with others within the UK and also globally, so we can have "a world where no-one is unfairly disadvantaged or excluded because of age or infirmity and where every person can enjoy life as they age".
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
