ABSTRACT
Introduction Within this chapter we aim to explore experiences of ageing and consider how nurses can work most effectively with older people and their families to maintain their health and well-being.This requires a discussion of the structures and values that determine the life experiences of older people in the UK and their access to health and social care at times of need.We consider the wider environment and society in which older people live and receive care from health and social care practitioners, including the cultural, political and social values that influence the status of older people and their participation in society. Recurrent concerns about the quality of care received by older people will be highlighted, together with new approaches that have been developed to help nurses create effective partnerships with older people and their families.We also highlight the importance of supporting staff and providing them with a stimulating and challenging work environment. In writing this chapter, we have drawn heavily on recent research and other sources of evidence, believing, as does the NMC Code (2008) (Appendix 1), that nurses ‘must deliver care based on the best available evidence’.
