Leading franchise Home Instead has linked up with the University of York to undertake valuable research that will help shape the future of social care.
You certainly can’t accuse Home Instead of letting the grass grow under their feet – quite the contrary.
This successful global franchise, which arrived in the United Kingdom 15 years ago, is always looking at ways of taking care for the elderly to the next level.
So much so, they have recently launched their latest initiative, which sees the Cheshire-based company join forces with one of England’s leading universities to commence research into home care for older people.
The programme will last three years and Mark Laing, Home Instead‘s director of innovation, said: “The research partnership will provide the social care sector with an evidence-based view of homecare, while helping to shape what home care might look like in the future.
“It will also inform the national debate on supporting seniors and form part of our continued commitment to invest in the future of home care innovation.”
Mark is heading up the project which will include research into three vitally important areas: Person-centred home care, dementia, and the home care workforce. The University of York will work with a number of Home Instead care teams across the UK, building up evidence which will allow them to evaluate what works best for the industry.
The research will draw upon the expertise of York University’s Social Policy Research Unit and assist with the development of one of the fastest-growing industries in the western world.
Mark added: “The home care sector is constantly growing and evolving. The need to provide good quality care in a person’s own home is more vital than ever, particularly in a post-pandemic world. Personalised social care for older people will be needed more and more in the years ahead, and we’ve witnessed first-hand the benefits of providing this service in the home environment.”
And the lead researcher at the University of York, Professor Bryony Beresford, also understands the value of carrying out this work. She said: “Health and social care are equally important to the wellbeing and quality of life of older people. Covid-19 has highlighted for all of us the critical role that social care plays in the lives of many older people – those living in their own homes and in care homes.”
The university is currently seeking to appoint a Research Fellow to lead the social science study, with Bryony adding: “We are excited to begin working with Home Instead. Recruitment for a Research Fellow, to build the research programme, is now underway.”
Home Instead was founded in the United States, and has its UK headquarters in Warrington. The UK branch has 215 franchise offices which employ over 10,000 caregivers and look after more than 15,000 elderly clients every day.
As a national home care provider, it specialises in offering care and companionship in the home for older people.
It also delivers specialist dementia care plus live-in care, end-of-life and respite care.
