Older people living alone at the end of life in the UK: Research and policy challenges

Palliative Medicine

Volumn 25, Issue 6, 2011, Pages 650-657

  Rolls, Liz ^a   Seymour, Jane E ^b   Froggatt, Katherine A ^a   Hanratty, Barbara ^c  

^a LANCASTER UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

^b UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM   (United Kingdom)

^c UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

ageing in place; end of life; living alone; older people; palliative care

Indexed keywords

AGED; ARTICLE; DECISION MAKING; HEALTH CARE ACCESS; HEALTH CARE POLICY; HEALTH CARE QUALITY; HOME; HUMAN; PALLIATIVE THERAPY; SOCIAL ASPECT; SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT; TERMINAL CARE; UNITED KINGDOM;

AGED; AGED, 80 AND OVER; COMORBIDITY; DEMOGRAPHY; FEMALE; FRAIL ELDERLY; GREAT BRITAIN; HEALTH POLICY; HEALTH SERVICES NEEDS AND DEMAND; HUMANS; INDEPENDENT LIVING; LIFE EXPECTANCY; MALE; PALLIATIVE CARE; POLICY; POVERTY; RESEARCH; SOCIAL ISOLATION; SOCIAL SUPPORT; TERMINAL CARE;

EID: 80051976616     PISSN: 02692163     EISSN: 1477030X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/0269216310373165     Document Type: Article

References (66)

1. Dunnell K. Ageing and mortality in the UK: National Statisticians annual article on the population. Popul Trends. 2008 ;: 134-134
2. Jagger C, Matthews N, Speirs R, et al. Compression or expansion of disability? Forecasting future disability levels under changing patterns of diseases. Final Report. Available at: http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/health- sciences/extranet/research-groups/nuffield/project-profiles/KF117.pdf (2006, accessed 13 August 2009).
3. Dykstra PA. Older adult loneliness: myths and realities. Eur J Ageing. 2009 ; 6: 91-100
4. Sixsmith A, Sixsmith J. Ageing in place in the United Kingdom. Ageing Int. 2008 ; 32: 219-235
5. Caldwell K, Saib M, Coleman K. The ageing population: challenges for policy and practice. Divers Health Soc Care. 2008 ; 5: 11-18
6. Gu D, Dupre ME, Liu G. Characteristics of institutionalized and community-residing oldest-old in China. Soc Sci Med. 2007 ; 64: 8712-8883
7. Office for National Statistics Households. More People were Living Alone in 2004. Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id= 1162&Pos=4&ColRank=2&Rank=560 (2005, accessed 25 March 2009).
8. Bennett J, Dixon M Single person households and social policy: looking forward. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation ; 2006 :
9. Palmer G Briefing in the growth in one person households: trends, causes and issues arising. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation ; 2006 :
10. Seymour J, Witherspoon R, Gott M, Ross H, Payne S, Owen T End-of-life care: promoting comfort, choice and well-being for older people at the end of their lives. Bristol: The Policy Press with Help the Aged ; 2005 :
11. O'Shea E, Murphy K, Larkin P, et al End-of-life care for older people in acute and long-stay care settings in Ireland. Dublin: Hospice Friendly Programmes/National Council on Ageing and Older People ; 2008 :
12. Office for National Statistics. Benefits and challenges of an ageing population. Population Trends 134 - Winter. Available at: http://www.statistics. gov.uk/pdfdir/popt1208.pdf (2008, accessed 6 February 2009).
13. Babb P, Burkner H, Church J, Zealey L Social Trends No. 36. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan ; 2006 :
14. Focus on older people. London: The Stationery Office ; 2004 :
15. Office for National Statistics. Life expectancy. Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=168 (2009, accessed 9 March 2009).
16. Self A, Zealey L Social trends no. 38. 3820082008 edn. London: The Stationery Office. London: The Stationery Office ; 2008 :
17. Office for National Statistics. Life Expectancy and Healthy Ageing. Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget-print.asp?ID=1913. (2008, accessed 20 February 2009).
18. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Working for older people in rural areas. Cabinet Office, July. Available at: http://www. cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/226170/working-together-older-people-rural-areas- july09.pdf (2009, accessed 26 June 2010).
19. Wood R, Bain M The health and well-being of older people in Scotland: insights from national data. Executive Summary. Edinburgh: NHS Scotland ; 2001 :
20. Office for National Statistics. Ethnicity and Identity: Age/Sex Distribution Non-White Groups are Younger. Available at: http://www.statistics. gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=456 (2009, accessed 24 August 2009).
21. Nelson T, Fernandez JL, Livingston G, Knapp M, Katona C. Does diagnosis determine delivery? The Islington study of older people's needs and health care costs. Psychol Med. 2004 ; 34: 147-155 (Pubitemid 38139449)
22. Kharicha K, Harari D, Swift C, Gillmann G, Stuck AE. Health risk appraisal in older people 1: are older people living alone an 'at-risk' group?. Br J Gen Pract. 2007 ; 57: 271-276 (Pubitemid 46534189)
23. Wilson K, Mottram P, Sixsmith A. Depressive symptoms in the very old living alone: prevalence, incidence and risk factors. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2007 ; 22: 361-366 (Pubitemid 46680848)
24. Avlund K, Damsgaard MT, Holstei BE. An eleven year follow-up study of 70-year-old men and women in Denmark. Soc Sci Med. 1998 ; 47: 635-643 (Pubitemid 28322967)
25. Office for National Statistics. General Household Survey: Results for 2007. [Table 3.3 (Percentage living alone, byage: 1973-2007) and Table 3.4 (Percentage of men and women living alone, by age)]. Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=5756 then click on General Household Survey, 2007 (2007, accessed 20August 2009).
26. Grundy E, Mayer D, Young H, Sloggett A. Living arrangements and place of death of older people with cancer in England and Wales: a record linkage study. Br J Cancer. 2004 ; 91: 907-912 (Pubitemid 39273783)
27. Government Actuaries Department. 2006-based national projections for the UK and constituent countries. Population Trends 131. Available at: http://www.gad.gov.uk/Documents/Demography/Projections/PT1312006-basedNPP.pdf (2008, accessed 25 March 2009).
28. Palmer G Single person households: issues that JRF should be thinking about. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation ; 2006 :
29. Summerfield C, Gill B Social trends no. 35. 3520052005 edn. London: The Stationery Office. London: The Stationery Office ; 2005 :
30. Corden A, Hirst M, Nice K Financial implications of death of a partner. York: Social Policy Research Unit, University of York ; 2008 :
31. Murphy M and Grundy E. Co-residence of generations and household structure in Britain: aspects of change in the 1980s. In: Becker H and Hermkens PLJ (eds) Solidarity of generations: demographic, economic and social change, and its consequences, vol. II. Amsterdam: Thesis Publishers, 1994, pp. 551-582.
32. Jakobsson E, Johnsson T, Persson L-O, Gaston-Johansson F. End-of-life in a Swedish population: demographics, social conditions and characteristics of places of death. Scand J Caring Sci. 2006 ; 20: 10-17
33. Jordhøy MS, Saltvedt I, Fayers P, Loge JH, Ahlner-Elmkvist M, Kaasa S. Which patients die in nursing homes? Quality of life, medical and sociodemographic characteristics. Palliat Med. 2003 ; 17: 433-444 (Pubitemid 36827052)
34. Lewis G Predicting who will need costly care. How best to target preventive health, housing and social programmes. London: Kings Fund ; 2007 :
35. Lloyd-Williams M, Kennedy V, Sixsmith A, Sixsmith J. The end of life: a qualitative study of the perceptions of people over the age of 80 on issues surrounding death and dying. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007 ; 34: 60-66 (Pubitemid 46970880)
36. Aoun S, Kristjanson LJ, Oldham L, Currow D. A qualitative investigation of the palliative care needs of terminally ill people who live alone. Collegian. 2008 ; 15: 3-9
37. Tinker A. Housing for elderly people. Rev Clin Gerontol. 1997 ; 7: 171-176 (Pubitemid 27361597)
38. Evans G. The built environment and mental health. J Urban Health. 2003 ; 80: 536-555 (Pubitemid 38146220)
39. Scharf T, Phillipson C, Smith AE. Social exclusion of older people in deprived urban communities of England. Eur J Ageing. 2005 ; 2: 76-87 (Pubitemid 41086539)
40. Scharf T, Bartlam B Rural ageing: a good place to grow old?. Keating N, ed. Bristol: Policy Press ; 2008: 97-108.
41. Burholt V, Windle G The material resources and well-being of older people. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation ; 2006 :
42. Rickards L, Fox K, Roberts C, Fletcher L, Goddard E Living in Britain no 31: results from the 2002 General Household Survey. London: The Stationery Office ; 2004 :
43. Department of Work and Pensions. Households Below Average Income 2003/04. Appendix 5. Available at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai/hbai2004/pdf-files/ appendices/appendix-5-hbai05.pdf (2005, accessed 28 June 2009).
44. Levitas R, Pantaziz C, Fahmy E, Gordon D, Lloyd E, Patsios D Multidimensional analysis of social exclusion. Bristol: University of Bristol ; 2007 :
45. A Sure Start to later life, ending inequalities for older people. London: ODPM ; 2006 :
46. Wanless D Securing good care for older people. Taking a long term view. London: King's Fund ; 2006 :
47. Victor C, Bowling A, Bond J, Scambler S Loneliness, social isolation and living alone in later life. ESRC Growing Older Programme, Research Findings 17. Sheffield: University of Sheffield ; 2003 :
48. Emanuel EJ, Fairclough DL, Slutsman J, Alpert H, Baldwin D, Emanuel LL. Assistance from family members, friends, paid care givers and volunteers in the care of terminally ill patients. N Engl J Med. 1999 ; 23: 956-963 (Pubitemid 29441551)
49. Moreton R, Malhomme E, South L, Taylor P, Thomson H, Baker R Rural lifelines: older people and rural social enterprise. Their role as providers and beneficiaries of service provision in rural England. London: The Countryside Agency ; 2004 :
50. Gomes B, Higginson I. Factors influencing death in terminally ill patients with cancer: systematic review. Br Med J. 2006 ; 332: 515-521
51. Froggatt KA. 'Choice over care at the end of life'. Implications of the life initiative for older people in care homes. J Res Nurs. 2005 ; 10: 189-202
52. National Service Framework for Older People. London: The Stationery Office ; 2001 :
53. McCarthy H, Thomas G Home alone: combating isolation with older housebound people. London: Demos ; 2004 :
54. Genevay B. 'Creating' families: older people alone. Generations. 1992 ; 16: 61-65
55. Thomas C, Morris S, Soothill K, McIllmurray M, Francis B, Harman J What are the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and their main carers? A study of user experience of cancer services with particular reference to psychosocial need. Lancaster: The Institute for Health Research Lancaster University ; 2001 :
56. Clough R, Manthorpe J, Raymond V, Hay J, Bright L, Sumner K The support older people want and the services they need. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation ; 2007 :
57. Currow DC, Christou T, Smith J, et al. Do terminally ill people who live alone miss out on home oxygen treatment? An hypothesis generating study. J Palliat Med. 2008 ; 11: 1015-1022
58. Kristjanson L Scoping the needs of individuals living alone for palliative care: Final Report. Churchlands, WA: Western Australia Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care ; 2005 :
59. Seale C. Living alone towards the end of life. Ageing Soc. 1995 ; 16: 75-92
60. Grande GE, Addington-Hall JM, Todd CJ. Place of death and access to home care services: are certain patient groups at a disadvantage. Soc Sci Med. 1998 ; 47: 565-579 (Pubitemid 28322961)
61. Grande GE, Farquhar MC, Barclay SIG, Todd CJ. The influence of patient and carer age in access to palliative care services. Age Ageing. 2006 ; 35: 267-273
62. House of Commons Health Committee Palliative Care. Fourth Report of Session 2003-4; vol. I, HC 23. Available at: http://www.publications.parliament. uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmhealth/454/45402.htm (2004, accessed 25 March 2009).
63. Seymour J. Needs and preferences of patients with diseases other than cancer: the UK experience. Progr Palliat Care. 2007 ; 15: 108-112 (Pubitemid 47617129)
64. Gott M, Seymour J, Bellamy G, Clark D, Ahmedzai S. Older people's views about home as a place of care at the end of life. Palliat Med. 2004 ; 18: 460-467 (Pubitemid 39162659)
65. Cohen J, Bilsen JM, Hooft P, Deboosere P, van der Wal G, Deliens L. Dying at home or in an institution using death certificates to explore the factors associated with place of death. Health Policy. 2006 ; 78: 319-329 (Pubitemid 44262410)
66. Grande GE, Stajduhar K, Aoun S, et al. Supporting lay carers in the end of life care: current groups and future priorities. Palliat Med. 2009 ; 23: 339-344