Rotherfield St Martin
research into a community group
in an English rural village
It’s not steamrollers and hats
Marylynn Fyvie-Gauld
Setting the Context
• The numbers of older people are increasing and
set to increase steadily over the coming years
• Particularly of issue are people aged 75 and over
because they generally require more help and
social care than other age groups
• Expenditure on older people is also increasing
especially on home care
• Home care hours have increased but the numbers
of home care recipients has dropped
• The countryside faces particular problems:
–
–
–
–
More older people (age-specific migration flow)
Fewer younger people
Mostly a wealthier population than urban dwellers
Rural communities have the same percentage of poor
people as the town
– Rural communities have the same percentage of
people with restricted mobility as the urban areas
– People are widely dispersed in rural areas often with
little access to public transportation
• The mixed economy of care varies with no lower
threshold of provision
• Patchy delivery of services involves greater
reliance on community groups in rural areas
• The local authorities have a new role to play in
the care and support of older people in a climate
of spending cuts and increased demand as set
out in ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS
– Opportunities and Challenges’ (2010):
– A critical role in the assessment of need and allocation
of resources
– Commissioning and monitoring services
– Overseeing local care markets
– taking action in case of neglect or abuse
• In order to fully discharge their obligations Local
Authorities will have to work closely with others
to find innovative ways of meeting needs
Shropshire Voluntary Sector, 2007)
t
• This small-scale study was sponsored by the
University of Brighton’s Community University
Partnership Programme
• The aims of the research:
– To assess the effectiveness of the services
provided by RSM to older people (including lowlevel)
– To determine volunteer motivation within the
success of RSM
– To evaluate RSM in terms of a mutually beneficial
college of people within the community
– To assess if RSM as a model could be transferable
Questionnaires
(51 volunteers; 120 members)
Face to face interviews
(8 volunteers)
Telephone interviews
(5 volunteers; 4 members)
Members by gender
Male
23%
Female
77%
Members by age group
up to 50
51-69
15.3% are
registered
disabled
90+
80-89
70-79
Services Used (in percentages)
exercise classes
holiday at home
bereavement support
dog walking
letter support
telephone support
computer training
computer help
financial enquiries/benefits
social/chats/friendship
health care appointments
transportation
shopping/going out
odd jobs
help with gardening
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Exercise Classes
‘Making new friends and improving my activity
level’ (80-89 female)
‘The exercises classes were very beneficial’
(70-79 female)
‘exercises classes have helped since having heart
problems’ (80-89 female)
‘useful exercises’ (70-79 male)
‘more mobile now thanks to the exercises classes’
(70-79 female)
Benefits of Exercise
• Evidence indicates that exercise is
associated with lower risks of
dependence and mortality
• Physical activity decreases the incident of
chronic disorders
• Exercise is linked directly to a reduction
in falls and therefore reduces costs to
both the National Health Service and
Social Services
Falls in the house
(in percentages)
fallen in the kitchen
fallen in the sitting room
fallen in the bathroom
fallen on the landing
fallen in the hall
fallen in the dinning room
fallen in the shower
fallen in the bedroom
fallen on the stairs
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Falls outside the home
(in percentages)
fallen climbing steps
fallen getting in or out of the car
fallen on the drive
fallen crossing the road
fallen on the pavement
fallen in the garden
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
The effect of falls – and therefore the
need for exercise
• Fear of falling can lead to loss of confidence and
affects the ability to perform activities safely
• Falls and accidents are the fifth leading cause of
death in people aged 65 and over
• Falls cost the NHS millions; in 2002 in excess of
£942 million was spent on osteoporotic fractures
of which 87% was spent on hip fracture
• Falls have financial disbursement for the NHS as
well as the person themselves, family and carers
• Research indicates that older people will not
admit to falls because it undermines their status
as independent.
Social/Chats/Friendship
• Over 51% of people aged 75+ live alone (Age UK, 2010)
• Over 1 million people aged 65+ say they are always or
often feel lonely (Age UK, 2010)
• Over 5000 older people spent Christmas day alone in
2006 (Age UK, 2010)
• Isolation is one of the causes of depression and affects
10-16% of people aged 65+ (NIMH, 2003)
• There is a key role for the voluntary sector in
combating depression and preventing isolation and
depression among older people (Manthorpe and Illiffe,
2005)
‘I get out more and meet different people’ (8089 female)
‘The social side, as being on your own can be
lonely, making new friends’ (80-89 female)
‘It has given me a more positive attitude,
opportunities to meet and make friends’ (7079 female)
‘I’ve got someone there I can always go to for
help or just a chat’ (70-79 female)
‘Its lovely to get out of the house and have
some social time with other people’ (51-69
male)
Isolation in Context
• According to Age UK (2010)
– 12% of older people (1.1 million) feel trapped in their
own homes
– 6% of older people (that is nearly 600,000) leave their
house once a week or less
– Nearly 200,000 older people in the UK do not receive
enough help to get them out of their house or flat
– 17% of older people have less than weekly contact
with family, friends and neighbours
– 11% have less than monthly contact
• ‘isolation has become one of the main problems
for people in the country. St. Martins in all villages
would help’ (80-89 female)
Other important services
• The car transportation Scheme:
– The shrinking world of one member
– The transport scheme versus the taxi – a tale of the
hospital visit
• Trips out: ‘When you no longer have a car it is easy to
become housebound, especially when you do not live in
the centre of the village. The Scotney project has forced
me to use old skills, such as embroidery and painting
which I had lost confidence in doing’(80-89 female)
• ‘not everyone has the means of transport and any trips
are well organised with transport, especially for people
in wheelchairs’ (80-89 male)
• Meetings with speakers: ‘I look forward to
meetings each week, also the speakers – I
have leaned a lot from them’ (80-89 female)
• Bereavement support: ‘Visiting Rotherfield
St Martin when feeling at a low ebb was so
helpful’ (70-79 female)
• Odd Jobs: ‘as one becomes old, the little jobs
that seemed so simple become difficult and it
is very difficult to get professionals to come.
(80-89 female)
• Computer help and training: ‘the computer
training was beneficial and enjoyable’ (70-79
female)
Making a difference
past and current service use
• the vast majority of respondents felt that
Rotherfield St Martin had made some
difference or a big difference to their lives
– Reduced use of the district nurse
– Reduced use of home care services
– Reduction in the use of Social Services
– Increased use of neighbours and relatives
– Reduction in the use of other services
– Reduced use of personal care
Volunteer Characteristics
• Traditionally more women than men volunteer especially in
caring organisations because of the link to the carer as female
(Kuntz 2001).
Rotherfield St Martin Volunteers
Age groups of volunteers
up to 50
6%
Male
24%
Female
76%
51-69
23%
80-89
19%
70-79
52%
Helping the Volunteers Volunteer
(in percentages)
Village ethos of support
Other Volunteers
The RSM
Rewarding
Like the idea
Support from RSM
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
The Volunteers of Rotherfield St
Martin
I’ve always volunteered’
‘Able to give back to the community in which I enjoy
living in’
‘Because that’s what you do – you don’t really think
about it as volunteering’
‘social contact and giving of self worth’
‘Getting to know other people and their needs’
‘I’m very pleased that I have been able to meet so many
lovely and happy people’
‘I’m lucky to be 81, fit and able to give my time’
‘I am proud to be associated with such a useful project’
‘I think you can enjoy giving and still be altruistic’
‘It has strengthened the sense of community. The
benefits of the services and the facilities it
provides are recognised not only by the members
but also by their families and friends. It has shown
how readily people are prepared to give their
time and money for the benefit of other’
(volunteer)
• Professor Heinz Wolf has proposed a time-bank
concept called ‘care-credits’- RSM volunteers
have already established this concept:
‘Those who are well, look after those who are
poorly until they die, and then the next lot
underneath will have retired and be able to
volunteer to look after that lot, and so on. It will
fuel itself’ (Volunteer)
Support for volunteers
‘Rotherfield St Martin is good to is volunteers’
Support from Rotherfield St Martin
(in percentages)
Training support
RSM telephone support
Office back-up
34.1
65.9
61.9
78.6
Contact with manager (phone)
90.9
Contact with manager (in person)
73.3
Contact with other volunteers
RSM general meetings
66.7
Experience of Volunteering
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Excellent
Good
• 97% of the volunteers said that their
expectations of volunteering had been met
• Women were more inclined than men to rate
their experience of volunteering as excellent
(χ2 = 4.381, df=1, p= 0.014)
The Community and Rotherfield St
Martin
‘Provides a focus for the elderly members of the
village’
‘Puts Rotherfield on the map! Brings the
community together i.e. surgery church, school,
all involved’
‘Helps community relationships, saves them some
money, enriches their lives’
‘Stronger sense of community, bringing people
together in an area where the population is
widespread’
‘It provides a fantastic community spirit, which
appears to be unique to Rotherfield’
Rotherfield St Martin – a unique
community group?
• ‘Absolutely, it is so successful. But it really needs
another Jo and there are people like Jo, full of
enthusiasm and energy. The problem is the cash.
They need premises and this is so expensive and
so that is the problem that needs to be overcome.
It is not the idea or the person probably, but it is
the money’
• ‘ I believe it could be a local and national model’
• ‘This model could be adopted in other rural areas
designed to support all aspects of people’s needs;
emotional, social, physical and mental’
Small is beautiful
• ‘I think this organisation is suitable to a village
such as Rotherfield. I don’t think it could be
quite the same in a town, more people to
satisfy’
• ‘Great for a local area, local people, local
services. If you think nationally you get too big
and centralised and lose the local character’
• ‘It is no use thinking you want to do good, that
will not work. You have first to establish a
need. A group is successful by knowing the
community and tailoring the needs to that
community
• Don’t make it too big because people become
alienated outside their community’
• ‘If it became larger and more people involved, it
would become more bureaucratic, more
paperwork, more rules and the nice touch would
be eroded, the nice touch of Jo and the helpers’
• ‘RSM is a prime example of what can be achieved
in a small community, borne of the vision and the
enthusiasm of one person, Jo, now with the
encouragement and backing of her team of
knowledgeable Trustees and hard working
Committee. We are lucky to live in such a caring
and friendly village
But, of course, not everything can be
perfect
• ‘Please, please may we have savoury or sweet biscuits
available at all meetings in addition to cakes (which are
fattening and unhealthy) also the ‘Cona’ coffee in the
office should be discontinued’.
• ‘Opportunity for voluntary drivers to share tips (e.g.
hospital parking, how to know if your passenger is
ready to go home, etc)
• ‘list in the office of things that need doing to which one
could sign up’
• ‘Use the central village notice board’
• ‘Encourage volunteers to bring a plate of savouries,
salads or puds to the Annual Party’
In conclusion
• Research indicates that low level services such
as those provided by RSM is important in
primary prevention and reduces or delays the
use of hospital services
• Low-level care is being ‘squeezed out in favour
of crucial and substantial care services’
(Counsel and Care, 2007)
• Low level care helps in the prevention of older
people having to go into residential care
• Government is clearly intending to become
increasingly reliant on community groups to be
partners in provision of services
• The cost of running RSM is the equivalent of
employing one senior social worker
• 250 volunteer hours per week translate to
approximately 30-36 pence per ho
• Volunteer England suggest that every £1 of
volunteering return £4-8 in direct economic value
not including added value benefits
• The potential exists within the voluntary sector to
produce a wide range of services and clearly a
capacity that needs to be harnessed in the future
by health and social care
Final words from the volunteers and
members of Rotherfield St Martin
• ‘… what I consider most important is the commitment
of all the volunteers from the Trustees and Project
Manager, the Committees and Sub-committees to the
many volunteers’
• ‘There can be no doubt that the fame and good works
of Rotherfield St Martin have spread well beyond the
village boundaries’
• ‘… where there are large numbers of elderly people in
need to similar services. With growing numbers of
elderly people in need to help in many areas of their
daily lives, would not all welcome such close
community support? I believe so’.
• ‘I would like it to continue forever, it is an inspiration to
many. God bless everyone involved’