Good old researchers

Roger Clough looks at the potential and the pitfalls of involving older people as researchers

Planning for research
In 1999 I was based at Lancaster University, working on a research proposal to study the factors that older people took into account when making decisions about where to live. My research team were determined that a central feature of the project should be a commitment to involving older people as colleagues, as both consultants on the work of the team, and as researchers, conducting interviews with older people on their housing decisions. In developing the proposal, we planned for five panels of older people in different parts of the country, which each met on six occasions through the life of the three-year project. In addition we invited elders to send in their written housing stories. 1. A key feature of the project was that the in-depth interviews should be undertaken by people over 60, and it is this element of the research that is the starting point for this story.

Training for research
Relying on older researchers was risky, because the interviews were to provide much of the data for the project. So we decided to develop a two-term, university validated programme for training older researchers. (3) The older students undertook the training and then, from bases at Lancaster and London, carried out nearly 200 interviews. So the work of the older research interviewers could be seen to be an integral part of the project. Yet the Lancaster students were dissatisfied. They had completed their interviews and did not want to be left behind, as the researchers moved on to other parts of the project. They asked for, perhaps demanded, more involvement with the research team.

The outcome was that research staff developed further courses for older people interested in research via Lancaster University’s Department of Continuing Education. One aspect of the course was the writing of research proposals. During the course the Joseph Rowntree Fund invited tenders for work on older people as researchers. The intention was that the older researchers should submit a bid with the support of the research staff. This did not happen because, as we came to realise, the task of developing a research proposal drew on skills that took more time to develop. I put in a bid, in collaboration with the older researchers and a colleague from the housing decisions research.

Research work in later life
The older researchers in the meantime had formed themselves into a co-operative, registered as a private company known as Older People Researching Social Issues (OPRSI). (4) They wanted to continue to carry out research as paid work in what they had thought would be their retirement, and had to set themselves up as a business, working out financial systems, getting insurance and agreeing working relationships.
The bid to JRF was successful and, with me as project director, became one of the first pieces of work of the new company. The project, Older people as researchers: potential, practicalities and pitfalls, is reported on in a forthcoming JRF report (5).

The intention was for the older researchers to mine their own experience and to find out about the experiences of other older researchers. One part of the project was the running of a further training course, which included topics chosen by OPRSI members, such as conducting telephone interviews, analysing data, working up research proposals and promoting your work. Valuable as this was, much of the learning that has taken place has been learning by doing, for example:
· undertaking a literature review, and having to work out the reasons for doing the review and how to do it in a way that is helpful to a project; and
· being responsible for the outcome of the research: doing work on time; looking at the quality of the research.
There have been many frustrations and problems, some of the type that typify much research activity, others that seemed more specific to this topic.

Defining ‘research’ was difficult. When trying to find out the sort of involvement of people in later life in research, which had seemed a reasonable starting point, it soon emerged that the term ‘research’ meant everything and nothing: some people claimed to be doing research when they went to a library to find out more about a topic in which they had developed an interest; others thought the term should only be used by experienced academics.

Conducting searches to get in contact with other elders who were involved in research had similar frustrations: names or details given as contacts for organisations were often out of date and frequently it was impossible to find out about a research programme; some people did not reply; much of the research in which older people have been involved turned out to be written up as in-house papers, and so not traceable with library searches. OPRSI members were surprised to find that it was academics rather than people from voluntary organisations who were most likely to take seriously their requests for information about projects.

The findings
There is no doubt that older people want to play a bigger part in researching their worlds. Of course people are suspicious of a new trend, with accompanying bandwagons. Too often, many consider, they are consulted or invited to participate but then forgotten. However, it is possible to specify some of the characteristics of successful involvement.

· Older people want real or purposeful involvement. There is no single formula for this. They do not necessarily want to control the research activity, to manage research, or to conduct interviews. They want to know that the time and energy they put into the research is recognised, that their views are taken seriously and that they will be informed about the outcome of the research.

· Many older people will benefit from the support of universities and, if training for research, involvement in ongoing research.

There are many reasons why people become involved in research in later life. Many start from wanting to lobby for a particular service, and come to realise that getting evidence is important. Others want to play a part in decisions about services in their locality: they demand that their voice is heard. A third group want a more accurate portrayal of their group, or their history. A fourth category is of people who want the stimulation of a new activity in later life.

Of course, it is not easy to establish credibility. As with any other new business, the older researchers of the OPRSI have to demonstrate the reasons why they should be given work. And, as with any other researcher, their bids may be stronger if submitted in collaboration with others.

Why involve older researchers?
One of the core themes must be to consider the reasons for involving older people. It is obvious that older people have wisdom about what matters to them and their peers. They have an interest in being involved in developing understandings of their worlds. Indeed, it is not too much to claim that they have a right to be involved in thinking, planning and researching. The claim is not that only an older person can, or should be allowed, to research the worlds of older people. That would be to deny the ability of some people to portray with startling insight the lives of others. However, it is essential to recognise the investment the over 60’s have in understanding the context and the quality of services experienced by elders. And it is reasonable to recognise that there are a lot of people with wisdom and skills to enhance the quality of research.

Housing Decisions in Later Life, published by Palgrave/Macmillan, authors – Clough R., Leamy M., Miller V. and Bright L.

1) Briefing papers available for free download via http://eskriggeresearch.co.uk/projects-housing_decisions.php
2) £9 including p. and p., from Les Bright, 01392 424696.
3) An account of that is to be found in a paper to be published next year Leamy M. and Clough R. (forthcoming) Depending upon each other: teaching, research and older people’s perspectives on doing research together, York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
4) Older People Researching Social Issues – contact oprsi@btinternet.com
5) Clough R., Green B., Hawkes B., Raymond G. and Bright L. (forthcoming) Older People as Researchers: potential, practicalities and pitfalls, York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Roger Clough was Professor of Social Care at Lancaster University and now works for Eskrigge Social Research.
Contact r.clough@lancaster.ac.uktop