Evaluating charity programmes for older people
We evaluate programmes to ensure they're making a positive difference to older people.
Dementia services
The Love to Move programme provides an age and dementia friendly seated gymnastics programme, involving bilateral asymmetric movement, to older people in care homes. The documents highlight the findings, including lessons for the programme, from the evaluation of the piloting of the programme between November 2015 and June 2016.
British Gymnastics Foundation Pilot Evaluation Report
Insights Report - Age and Dementia-Friendly Gymnastics Programme Evaluation Findings
The Dementia Friendly programme is part of the Big Lottery Funded 'fit for the future' programme (2013-15). The Dementia Friendly Programme supported local Age UKs to become more dementia friendly; expert support was provided to help local Ages UKs to review the accessibility of their services for people living with dementia.
The documents highlight the findings, including lessons for the programme, from the evaluation of the experiences of a sample of organisations that were involved between October 2012 and February 2013 (the ‘pioneer’ cohort), between November 2013 to June 2014 (cohort 1) and between July 2014 to March 2015 (cohort 2 and 3).
This evaluation report was completed in July 2015.
Dementia Friendly Programme – Final Evaluation Report (PDF, 820KB)
Dementia Friendly Programme – Evaluation Summary Booklet (PDF, 3MB)
Digital inclusion
We have carried out a number of evaluation reports related to digital exclusion and inclusion.
One Digital
The One Digital project aimed to understand if Digital Champions are an effective approach to motivate older people and equip them with the skills and confidence to safely use digital technology.
The One Digital projects forms part of a wider Big Lottery Funded Programme involving five other organisations, developed on the premise that empowering, supporting and inspiring trusted intermediaries to be Digital Champions is a highly effective and sustainable way of delivering digital skills.
Phase two full report, January 2018 (368 KB)
Phase one full report, December 2016 (414 KB)
Insights summary, May 2016 (200 KB)
Down Memory Lane
This report presents the evaluation of the Down Memory Lane project, which was delivered between April 2014 and October 2014 across six areas of England.
Its aim was to use a delivery model based on reminiscence to engage older people who had not used technology significantly in their lives so far to demonstrate to them how technology could improve their lives, and begin them on their journey to developing the capabilities and skills to use technology.
Down Memory Lane – Programme Level Evaluation Report, Jan 2015 (1.1 MB)
Technology Together
This report presents the evaluation of the Technology Together project, which was delivered between April 2014 and October 2014 across five areas of England. Its aim was to use an intergenerational delivery model to support socially-isolated older people to begin to develop the skills to use technology to remain in contact with friends and family, along with providing an accessible way to introduce them to the benefits of the digital world.
Technology Together – Programme Level Evaluation Report, Jan 2015 (920KB)
Technology Together Pilots
This presentation provides a summary of the findings of the evaluation of the Technology Together pilot project (2013).
Technology Together Pilot Evaluation (Presentation), (1 MB)
This document presents the lessons that were observed from the Technology Together pilot project (2013). The findings provide generalizable insights into factors that are important in successfully delivering a project.
Technology Together Pilot Evaluation (Lessons Learnt) (132 KB)
This document presents a summary of the survey responses from older people and younger people who participated in the Technology Together pilot (2013).
Technology Together Pilot Evaluation (Survey Findings) (336 KB)
This document presents the logic model that underpinned the evaluation of the Technology Together pilot (2013).
Technology Together Pilot Evaluation (Outcome & Impact Map) (362 KB)
Active & Healthy Ageing Services
Walking Football
Walking Football is a version of football that enables people who are unable to participate in the tradition form of the game, due to a lack of mobility or other reasons, to begin or continue to play the game.
In 2015, with funding from the Big Lottery Fund, a project was delivered to support seven local Age UK partners to set up and begin offering walking football in their localities. This document provides the findings of a qualitative evaluation of the project, including the key factors for successful delivery of the activity and making it sustainable.
Walking Football: Experiences of Local Age UKs delivering it for the first time (2015) (PDF, 315KB)
fit for the future
fit for the future is part of the Big Lottery Funded fit as a fiddle programme (2013-15). The project was a person-centred project aimed at improving the physical health and mental well-being of older people living with at least one long-term health condition.
The documents highlight findings, including lessons for the project, from the final evaluation completed in July 2015.
Final Evaluation Report (PDF, 1MB)
Evaluation Summary Booklet (PDF, 3MB)
Final Evaluation Report (PDF, 873KB)
Fit as a Fiddle
Fit as a Fiddle was an Age UK programme funded by The Big Lottery Fund, between 2007 and 2012 and formed part of the Big Lottery Fund Wellbeing Programme.
In addition to the Fit as a Fiddle programme level evaluation, there were 50 individual project level evaluations. This spreadsheet presents a summary of these evaluations and their key findings. The strength and weaknesses of the individual evaluations are not commented upon.
Fit As A Fiddle (2007 to 2012) Regional Evaluation Reports – A Summary (XLSX, 736KB)
Winter warmth
This summary report demonstrates the impact of the Warm and Well programme in its first 2 years.
Warm and Well Year 2 summary report 2019 (PDF, 300KB)
This report highlights the positive outcomes and value of Age UK's winter warmth services which help older people to stay warm and well in winter.
Volunteers
The Cascade Training Programme is part of the Big Lottery Funded fit as a fiddle programme (2013-15). The programme supported organisations to empower their volunteers and staff to help older people from ‘hard to engage’ groups to improve their physical, mental and social wellbeing.
The documents highlight findings, including lessons for the project, from the final evaluation completed in July 2015.
Cascade training Programme – Final Evaluation Report (PDF, 1MB)
Cascade training Programme – Evaluation Summary Booklet (PDF, 2MB)
Community energy
The Community Energy Programme was a pilot project aimed at testing the concept of having fully-qualified Energy Advisers within local Age UK Brand Partners to deliver support to older people to help them have a warm home.
Key Findings
- All older people completing the survey rated the service highly, with almost a quarter stating the would not have sought help elsewhere.
- Fully-trained Energy Advisers are a real asset to the delivery of an energy-related service with the breadth and depth of their knowledge, however, they are not an income-generating asset and consideration needs to be given to how to effectively utilise their knowledge and fund their roles.
- Energy related pilots should be delivered over two winters to more effectively pilot a concept, and consideration should be made on the use of data (including that held by energy companies), to target support to older people most likely to benefit from the support being provided.
Report, June 2016 (PDF 2,213 KB)
Scams
Age UK's Scams Prevention and Victim Support Pilot programme supported over 3,000 older people with advice and support on scams, helping to increase their knowledge and confidence to recognise and deal with attempted scams.
These programmes were delivered by local Age UKs based in London between February 2018 and January 2019. Read our reports to find out more.
Scams Prevention and Victim Support Pilot Project – Summary
Scams Prevention and Victim Support Pilot Project – Final Report, External Evaluation
Scams Prevention and Victim Support Pilot Project – Data annex