Happy Older People (HOP)
Published on 26 July 2018
United Kingdom
Merseyside
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About this good practice
Created by National Museums Liverpool, the Happy Older People (HOP) network promotes age-friendly arts participation across the Liverpool City Region. The network is designed to create an arena for new partnerships to be formed, connections to be made, and to communicate the age-friendly arts offer for older people across the city and the region.
HOP aims to address issues of loneliness and isolation amongst older residents by breaking down barriers to participation in arts and culture through active engagement.
It has active network of over 160 members. HOP brings together:
• older people
• artists
• cultural organisations
• health and social care providers
• housing associations
• community groups
• transport providers, and
• volunteering organisations
The aims of the network are accomplished by:
• Themed network meetings
• A monthly e-newsletter that promotes cultural opportunities for older people.
• Research activity and targeted outreach meetings.
• ‘HOP Pot’ grants to enable a variety of diverse organisations to engage older people across the city region.
The HOP approach within the older adult wellbeing sector drives and promotes innovation opportunities through a constant exchange of ideas. These ideas are then developed further through the HOP small grants scheme. Strengthening the local health eco-system in this way with a focus on user-centric innovation and self-managed care is key objective of the HELIUM project.
HOP aims to address issues of loneliness and isolation amongst older residents by breaking down barriers to participation in arts and culture through active engagement.
It has active network of over 160 members. HOP brings together:
• older people
• artists
• cultural organisations
• health and social care providers
• housing associations
• community groups
• transport providers, and
• volunteering organisations
The aims of the network are accomplished by:
• Themed network meetings
• A monthly e-newsletter that promotes cultural opportunities for older people.
• Research activity and targeted outreach meetings.
• ‘HOP Pot’ grants to enable a variety of diverse organisations to engage older people across the city region.
The HOP approach within the older adult wellbeing sector drives and promotes innovation opportunities through a constant exchange of ideas. These ideas are then developed further through the HOP small grants scheme. Strengthening the local health eco-system in this way with a focus on user-centric innovation and self-managed care is key objective of the HELIUM project.
Resources needed
The HOP network in the Liverpool City Region currently costs £35k to deliver annually. This incorporates staffing costs, network co-ordination and project management, and the distribution of HOP small grants programme to community organisations delivering arts and cultural activity for older adults
Evidence of success
Network of over 160 members.
Key findings from HOP activities include:
• A reduction in social isolation through increased levels of contact from taking part in cultural interventions outside the home.
• Improved mental stimulation through enjoyment of new forms of activity.
• Increased levels of physical activity through exercise and through participation in workshops.
• Breaking down barriers by challenging assumptions that digital art is ‘not for me’.
Key findings from HOP activities include:
• A reduction in social isolation through increased levels of contact from taking part in cultural interventions outside the home.
• Improved mental stimulation through enjoyment of new forms of activity.
• Increased levels of physical activity through exercise and through participation in workshops.
• Breaking down barriers by challenging assumptions that digital art is ‘not for me’.
Potential for learning or transfer
The Happy Older People Network is a fantastic project, particularly the HOP Pots of cash that allow some simple projects that can make a huge difference to improving the lives of the older people who are being reached.
Last year HOP funding pots went towards projects enabling older people to access digital technology in an arts and culture setting. So many older people think they are past the point of being able to use digital technology as it’s essentially learning a new skill, but the projects we funded challenged this perception and opened up a whole host of new opportunities to the older people they worked with.
This shows that arts and culture is a great starting point for helping isolated older people in our local communities to add more enjoyment and positivity to their lives.
It is easily transferred in any other conditions and geographies with small fund.
Last year HOP funding pots went towards projects enabling older people to access digital technology in an arts and culture setting. So many older people think they are past the point of being able to use digital technology as it’s essentially learning a new skill, but the projects we funded challenged this perception and opened up a whole host of new opportunities to the older people they worked with.
This shows that arts and culture is a great starting point for helping isolated older people in our local communities to add more enjoyment and positivity to their lives.
It is easily transferred in any other conditions and geographies with small fund.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
National Museums Liverpool
United Kingdom
Merseyside
Contact
Associate Professor in Mental Health