Impact case study database

Context: ARCHA’s research-based interaction with care homes started when Holland studied the effect on older adults of moving into an Extracare Charitable Trust retirement community. By 2015, she had demonstrated that Extracare’s approach of integrated housing, care and support led to quantifiable reductions in NHS/social care costs at 12 months, plus a 10.1% improvement in residents’ autobiographical memory and accompanying 14.8% reduction in depressive symptoms at 18 months ( S5.1). Meanwhile, in 2017, TV company CPL productions Ltd. (CPL) chose to create a TV series examining the benefits of intergenerational care (regular interaction between nursery children and care-home residents). Importantly, CPL wished to substantiate their episodes with scientific evidence, rather than relying simply on anecdote.

Brown’s established research expertise in biogerontology ( S3.1-S3.3), wellbeing in older adults ( S3.4) and ARCHA’s past experience with care homes ( S5.1) led CPL productions Ltd. to select Brown, as director of ARCHA, to design the series’ scientific underpinning tests (a package of physiological and cognitive analyses) to quantify the effects of intergenerational activities on older adult volunteers ( S5.2). Brown was teamed with clinicians experienced in intergenerational activities and an early-years expert, to conduct the study for Channel 4. Series 1 (2 episodes) was followed by a second series (5 episodes) based in the same Extracare village that Holland had studied previously. Brown consulted in both series, analysed the data, featured on-screen in series 2 and importantly, continued his research/engagement with participants after Series 2 completion. Brown’s work with CPL, the resulting broadcast of Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds (OPHF4YO) and Brown’s follow-up interactions with participants have led to:

In series 2, Brown recorded statistically-significant improvements in balance, walking speed, grip strength, mood, overall cognitive function and episodic memory in older adult volunteers. His follow-up research found that these improvements were retained 6 months later and were also accompanied by outstanding improvements in residents’ quality of life ( S5.3). Qualitatively, a resident stated “Personally, I improved in every one [test], sometimes spectacularly….I still find that I can converse freely and have lost the fear of starting up dialogues” (this resident had described himself previously as “almost a hermit” S5.3).

Importantly, this impact was not limited to the care home/nursery featured in the TV series. The owner of Berrington Lodge Nursery (opened Sept-2018) wrote to Brown in December 2018, to say that OPHF4YO had inspired her to undertake similar intergenerational activities with a neighbouring care home ( S5.4). Her recent update revealed that by mid-2019, their intergenerational activity had “grown from strength to strength” . Describing multiple indoor and outdoor co-activities, she also described the two-way curiosity between generations and quoted a care home resident who stated “ This has switched my brain back on, I now have something to look forward [to] and think about”. With interactions currently curtailed to remote activities, the manager states: “We can’t wait for the time when we can visit the residents once more” ( S5.4) .

Brown also worked closely with the early years expert who confirmed accompanying improvements in the children’s behaviour, both quantitatively from test data and qualitatively from parents’ observations. These confirmed that most children in OPHF4YO had improved confidence, language development, independence, imagination, maturity, empathy and concentration ( S5.5). Qualitatively, a parent cites Brown’s continued (post-series) engagement and states numerous benefits to her son, including “It has opened up [son’s] circle of friends. He refers to his favourite of the older adults … when listing his friends – right alongside his 5-year-old friends from school. In his eyes there is no difference” ( S5.5). This change in perspective is again supported by Berrington Lodge’s manager who states “The strong bond we have with [care home] has reinforced their [children’s] respect for the elderly” (S5.4) .

Numerous other UK care homes and nurseries cite OPHF4YO as their inspiration for commencing intergenerational activities ( S5.6) whilst the Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon. Matt Hancock MP called for “intergenerational care to become routine” ( S5.7). Intent has been followed by investment. United for All Ages (UAA) state “intergenerational activities have exploded due to the two series of OPHF4YO”. Working with Millenium Care, UAA are delivering a £12m intergenerational development program ( S5.8). Meanwhile, OPHF4YO inspired ParkDean Resorts to commission research into intergenerational benefit and consequently, Brown consulted in developing the ‘Great Grandparent Getaway’ campaign. Despite the pandemic, ParkDean have now launched the UK’s first four-generation holiday package ( S5.9).

Series 1 of OPHF4YO reached >2.5 million viewers per episode. Series 2 averaged 1.8 million viewers over 5 episodes, was 4th among human interest documentaries on Channel 4 and was a top-10 UK trending subject on Twitter in each week of broadcast. Multiple awards and a BAFTA nomination accorded to OPHF4YO benefitted CPL’s reputation, culminating in their nomination for best Independent Production Company at the Broadcast Awards 2019 ( S5.10). This high profile has also led to international sales: the format is now licensed to 15 countries over 3 continents, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and multiple European countries ( S5.10) with associated financial gain.