The handbook ‘Forward from 50 – A guide to later life in East Sussex' gives advice on how to prevent or deal with a variety of issues that may affect people as they grow older.
Background to 'Forward from 50'
The Joint Commissioning Strategy for Older People, through the Time of Our Lives work programme, set clear aims for working with people from the age of 50 to:
- promote a healthy old age
- prevent the onset of ill-health and decline
- support overall quality of life and wellbeing in later life.
To support this, it was agreed that Adult Social Care and the East Sussex Primary Care Trusts would work with local older people and fund the production of a guide to ageing positively.
The Forward from 50 handbook was formally launched in June 2008 and approximately 30,000 copies have been distributed to a wide range of sites, including GP surgeries and libraries.
You can download a copy of the handbook:
or call Social Care Direct on 0345 60 80 191 and ask them to send you a copy.
The evaluation project
An evaluation of Forward from 50 began in November 2009. As with the development of the handbook, local residents, organisations and voluntary groups were invited to take part in the process.
The objectives for this evaluation were to:
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find out how useful staff and residents of East Sussex find the handbook
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Identify any gaps in the content and check how accurate it is
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See if people are using the contact details given in every section
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find out people's views on the style and size of the handbook.
The questionnaire was developed by the evaluation group, most of who also committed to distributing it in their local area. In the end, more than 2,500 copies of the questionnaire were distributed.
What you have told us
A total of 202 responses, some from couples, were received. Of those 202 people, nearly two-thirds (62%) have read a copy of ‘Forward from 50'.
Generally people are very positive about Forward from 50. The majority keep their copy (83%) and like the style and content of the handbook.
The evaluation project has highlighted some areas for improvement though. For example, making the photographs more representative of the 50 to 60 age group.
You can download a summary of the results – ‘Forward from 50 – what you told us' – below.
What will happen as a result of this consultation
Now that the evaluation is complete the survey results will be used to write a business case for funding either a re-print or updated version of ‘Forward from 50'
Further information
If you have any questions about the evaluation or would like a copy of the full report, please contact:
Beja Morrison
Phone: 01273 482517
Email: beja.morrison@eastsussex.gov.uk
East Sussex County Council