The Future of Care
As part of the ESRC’s Festival of Social Sciences, we put a call out for creative submissions in response to two prompts: what does care mean to you, and what is the future of care? We were open to submissions from people of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of interaction /experience with adult social care.
While the Festival has ended, we’re still keen to show off the submissions we received – from a 5-year-old’s perspective on care to an AI-generated look at the future of the sector.
Click on the headings to see the entries. Use the following menu to quickly scroll to a specific piece.
What Does Care Mean to You?
Click on each heading to see our exhibition submissions
by Motion Exercise, Sheffield
Motion Exercise is a Sheffield-based social enterprise that designs and delivers person-centered, engaging, and cost-effective exercise programmes to older adults in care homes and the community, tackling social isolation and increasing physical activity. They want to see a world where everyone lives healthier and happier, where people are empowered to maintain autonomy and control over their own ageing. They believe that the future of care should, and can, be active and connected.
by Border Links Kelso Group, Berwick-upon-Tweed
Border Links’ Kelso group have discussed what care means and the impact on each of them. The group have thought long and hard about what they wanted to say, how they wanted to express themselves and this collage is a collaboration of their thoughts and feelings. The theme of this years Festival of Social Sciences in ‘my local area’, and there is nothing more local than the thoughts that run through our heads and this has been an opportunity to put those thoughts into words and images.
by Bridey Wriderholt, 5 years old, Worcester
Bridey’s mum, Marie, told us: this goes some way to expressing a ‘seldom heard’ voice as I guess adult social care always makes you think of adults, but it must affect young people in some way. It’s kind of a hard ask of a 5 year old to put something as complex as adult social care into picture form but she thought of her Nanny and she drew them together with a speech bubble about caring for her. My Mum spent nearly three months in hospital last year, so I think that is why Bridey related care to her Nanny. She’s also a very caring sister to her 6 year old brother who is on the Autism Spectrum – even at a very young age, she is very aware of his autism and ways in which she can help to support him.
The future of adult social care is more glittery than I expected but, hopefully, all the sparkle indicates positive change!
by Border Links Kelso Group, Berwick-upon-Tweed
In collaboration with our music leader Carole Caddick, this song was written by our Berwick Drop-In members. The group was established in 2011 and was developed to run as a club where members would research and plan an event which they would cater for and host. This created an opportunity to meet and socialise with other members of the community, increasing friendships, and bonds with local groups. The pandemic stopped these sessions and as we try to regain normal, the group have written a song about getting back together.
Drop in Song Lyrics
Back together,
Back for a cuppa,
With friends old and new.
Always caring,
And lots of sharing,
With giggles and thrills.
Banter,
Blether,
With our team,
Sometimes in-between.
Lots of laughs,
Just a little bit daft,
But we know what we mean.
Chorus.
D R O P,
And I N,
There’s a warm welcome there.
D R O P,
And I N,
With people who care.
Doing dishes,
Handing out biscuits,
Baking and craft.
Dancing Darin,
Happy and smiling,
News and chat.
Banter,
Blether,
With our team,
Sometimes in-between.
Lots of laughs,
Just a little bit daft,
But we know what we mean.
Chorus (x3)
by Bridey Wriderholt, 5 years old, Worcester
by Border Links Duns Group, Scottish Borders
In collaboration with our music leader, the poem and song were written by our Duns members, a venue which opened in 2013. Many of those involved in creating this work have attended our Duns venue from the very first session. The poem and song are a dialogue of what coming to Duns means to the group, the friendship, their surrounding area, working together, looking to the future and the seasons to come (a reference to the seasons and a garden that the group are developing at their venue).
Border Links is a community enterprise company, founded in January 2006. In March 2006, working with two local people with learning disabilities, we opened our first Community Club in North Northumberland. Border links now works with over 60 people at six venues in Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.
As a Person-Centred Service, our members gain: opportunities to make their own choices and decisions; a chance to talk about “the things that they like to do “now” and to “think” and “talk” about what they might like to try next; with the emphasis on the next.
Step into History Lyrics
Step into history,
Step into pictures on the walls.
Friends here to talk to,
Company for us all.
Wonderful views,
Where seasons change.
Spring becomes Summer,
Trees grow and flourish,
And Autumn its beauty brings.
This is our story,
This is our song,
This is our place,
This is where,
We belong.
This is what good self-directed care looks like for Georgia, by Georgia McCormick, 20, Ireland
Georgia is 20 years old, loves music, has great rhythm and like any young adult loves her fashion. Georgia was born with a severe intellectual disability and is non-verbal. She has lifelong support needs. Almost one year ago, Georgia began her self-directing care journey supported by her parents, Karen and George. Lisa and Saoirse joined Georgia’s team as her personal assistants. Karen (Mum) employs Lisa and Saoirse and manages the budget on Georgia’s behalf through her company inCharge.
Georgia’s assistants support her to live a fulfilled life in her own community, doing the things that she likes to do. Like many young people leaving the education system (special or otherwise), Georgia wasn’t quite sure what was next for her. The personal budget affords Georgia the time and personalised supports to figure this chapter of her life out, try new things and new experiences. The impact on Georgia over the past year is visible to everyone in her family, wider family circle and the local community where she lives. She has grown her independence skills, confidence and is making clear efforts to communicate more.
Scottish Care produced this short film, A Place of Care: Through Our Eyes.
Created by filmmaker Michael Rea and commissioned by Scottish Care, it showcases what care home life is like from the perspective of staff, residents and relatives.
The services and individuals featured in this film are the three finalists in the 2018 Care Home Service of the Year Award. Thank you to all at Annan Court Care Home, Carrondale Care Home and Crofthead Care Home.
The Future of Care
Click on each heading to see our exhibition submissions
by Jennifer Beesley, 55, Preston
by Jennifer Beesley, 55, Preston
by Border Links Kelso Group, Scottish Borders
Border Links’ Kelso Group have put together this poem about how they would like differences between adults with learning disabilities and able adults to be put aside and understand that although people think they are different, in fact they are just the same. This is how they see their care in the future, embracing what is the same and not dwelling on differences.
Border Links is a community enterprise company, founded in January 2006. In March 2006, working with two local people with learning disabilities, we opened our first Community Club in North Northumberland. Border links now works with over 60 people at six venues in Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.
As a Person-Centred Service, our members gain: opportunities to make their own choices and decisions; a chance to talk about “the things that they like to do “now” and to “think” and “talk” about what they might like to try next; with the emphasis on the next.
by Star Xing, 26, Cambridge
Star Xing is a machine learning engineer, and this is an AI generated painting, created by inputting the keywords: elderly, local care, peace of mind. It is generated by an open source algorithm, achieved by dream.ai.
This is what Star has in mind for care in the future, that it will be technology enabled, but it should not be bringing disruptions to elderly’s daily life and needs to be accepted by the users. She said: “AI can do lots of things, like this image can be channels of arrays that do not make sense to humans. Only if the engineers or creators keep the end users in mind, can it reach the full potential for people.”
Submit your work
If you have an entry for this exhibition that you would like to share, submit your work and we will endeavour to add it.