Page 10 - NCPHWR Annual Report 2017-18_Neat

Work Packages | Healthy Ageing Cross-Cutting Themes

Vulnerable
Adults &
Maintaining Social Care

Health and
Wellbeing

The Centre undertakes research into a variety of different challenges Social Care Research forms a cross-cutting theme in the Centre, underpinning all
posed by adults that might result in them being identified as vulnerable. areas of the Centre’s work. The Centre works closely with colleagues from other
These challenges range from chronic health conditions such as arthritis social care relevant Centre’s, such as the Wales School for Social Care Research
and dementia and adults with intellectual disability, to the burden of (WSSCR) and Wales Kidney Research Unit (WKRU), as well as health boards, local
disorders and substance abuse. These challenges are identified using authorities and third sector organisations such as the Wales Council for Voluntary
linked health records (general practice and hospital records) to look at Action (WCVA).
long-term health information collected through HealthWise Wales and
analysed using the SAIL Databank. Research is also undertaken to identify This year a key focus of the Centre’s work around social care was undertaking a
interventions that can support the maintenance of health and well-being Population Needs Assessments Analysis of 22 local authorities, identifying priority
of adults through improvements in the environments they live in. areas across Welsh authorities as well as current gaps in research and data. In total,
seven sets of reports were produced, themes included:

• children and young people • domestic abuse and sexual violence
Research Impact • older people, health/physical • advocacy services
disabilities • asylum seekers and refugees
• Recent research has identified that health checks for adults with • learning disability and autism • homelessness
intellectual disability lowers death rates (compared to those who have
not had health checks) especially for those with autism. • mental health • substance abuse
• sensory impairment • veterans
• Work examining medications associated with dementia shows • carers who need support
medications for high blood pressure and anticoagulants are associated
with less risk of dementia, but antidepressants and antiplatelet
medications are associated with higher risks of dementia. As a result, a number of Pan-Wales priority areas were identified for requiring
• A longitudinal study into emergency hospital admissions associated improvements such as public understanding, client focus, transitions, advice and
with a non-randomised housing intervention identified that hospital assistance.
admissions can be avoided through improving whole home quality
standards in line with national housing quality standards. Going forward local authorities are using the findings from the reports to form
actions plans. This will be achieved by many of the suggestions and aspirations for
• We are working with ENRICH Cymru and My Home Life Cymru as well improvement, highlighted in the evaluation being turned into concrete actions. After
as local health boards, supporting older people, particularly regarding
research in and about care homes. a second phase of analysis, actions can then be carried out and followed up by how
the NCPHWR could best input into these plans.

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