Examples and Case Studies The Report highlights some of the work currently underway. For example: Extra Care Housing, West Midlands welcomes frail older people. Upon arrival each resident is given The Book of Life© in which they record their past, the present and most importantly the future in terms of unfulfilled ambitions, dreams and aspirations. This loose-leaf book has space for photographs and to record achievements. It is in effect their 'case history' to be shared with their key worker. Lancashire County Council Social Services with the support of the adult education service and others runs courses for carers which include assertiveness training, self-protection, career development, reflexology, keep fit, coping with feelings and outings. The National Association for Providers of Activities for older people (NAPA) is developing a training programme for activity organisers and seeking accreditation through the Open College Network. Brighton Social Services has created its own NVQ programme to train care workers to look at care as a profession, to enhance their employability in the private and public sectors and to raise their status and remuneration in a locality where there is a shortage of appropriate labour. It has also developed a rating system to measure the quality of care in residential homes in the area. The Wandsworth Housebound Learning Scheme and its equivalent in Adur, West Sussex rely on volunteers to deliver education courses to housebound older people. Nightingale Lane in Balham, South London, is a large complex comprising residential and nursing care, sheltered housing and day care for over 300 Jewish elders. The Jewish community supports the scheme very generously. There has been a home on the site for 100 years but it has recently been extended to house a theatre and a synagogue. There is a very well appointed arts and crafts centre with two teaching staff, which in the main is viewed as providing therapy. There is also a paid activity and leisure manager who facilitates, or runs the clubs, discussion groups, theatre and other outings, residents' forum, the magazine (containing poetry, reminiscence and topical articles produced by residents, visitors and volunteers) and the choir. The Housebound Learners' Project was set up in 1988 to provide free adult education for housebound people, the majority of whom are elderly, in Wandsworth. Each week a volunteer attends a free class at one of the centres of South Thames College in a subject of interest and then passes on what has been learnt to a housebound person. Feedback and opinion from the housebound learner is fed into the class the following week. The Project Director ensures compatibility between volunteer (for whom training is provided) and learner. Courses usually last for 2 hours and run for 10 weeks, with about 8 courses running each year. Where possible visits for volunteer and learner are arranged to places with relevance to the subject studied. Funding has been obtained form NLCB and other sources to support the work. Potential students are referred to the project by Age Concern Wandsworth, the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Carers Centre.

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