Turning the Co-Production Corner: Methodological Reflections from an Action Research Project to Promote LGBT Inclusion in Care Homes for Older People

Paul Willis, Kathryn Almack, Trish Hafford-Letchfield, Paul Simpson, Barbara Billings and Naresh Mall
Additional contact information
Paul Willis: School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, 8 Priory Road, Clifton BS8 1TZ, UK
Kathryn Almack: School of Health and Social Work, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB, UK
Trish Hafford-Letchfield: Department of Mental Health, Social Work, Interprofessional Learning and Integrative Medicine, School of Health and Education Middlesex University, Ground Floor, Town Hall Annex, The Burroughs, Hendon, London NW4 4BT, UK
Paul Simpson: Department of Applied Health and Social Care, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancs L39 4QP, UK
Barbara Billings: Department of Mental Health, Social Work, Interprofessional Learning and Integrative Medicine, School of Health and Education Middlesex University, Ground Floor, Town Hall Annex, The Burroughs, Hendon, London NW4 4BT, UK
Naresh Mall: Department of Mental Health, Social Work, Interprofessional Learning and Integrative Medicine, School of Health and Education Middlesex University, Ground Floor, Town Hall Annex, The Burroughs, Hendon, London NW4 4BT, UK

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: Background : Older lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) residents are often invisible in long-term care settings. This article presents findings from a community-based action research project, which attempted to address this invisibility through co-produced research with LGBT community members. Particular Question : What conditions enable co-produced research to emerge in long-term residential care settings for older people? Aims of Project : To analyse outcomes and challenges of action-oriented, co-produced research in the given context. In particular, we explore how co-production as a collaborative approach to action-orientated research can emerge during the research/fieldwork process; and reflect critically on the ethics and effectiveness of this approach in advancing inclusion in context. Methods : The project was implemented across six residential care homes in England. Reflections are based on qualitative evaluation data gathered pre- and post-project, which includes 37 interviews with care home staff, managers and community advisors (two of whom are co-authors) . Results and Conclusions : We discuss how the co-production turn emerged during research and evaluate how the politics of this approach helped advance inclusion—itself crucial to well-being. We argue for the value of co-produced research in instigating organizational change in older people’s care environments and of non-didactic storytelling in LGBT awareness-raising amongst staff.

Keywords: care home policy and practice; co-produced research; older LGBT people; care home residents; resilience; risk environment and change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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