Older people: professional resources
Resources from the RCN and other organisations for nursing staff working with older people
RCN resources to support the care of older people
- Caring for older people: The essential role of the care home nurse. This report argues for a set of actions to raise the profile of care home nursing and make sure residents continue to receive the safe and effective care they need and deserve. (Welsh executive summary).
- Commitment to Care of People living with Dementia. This guidance sets out the five principles that form a shared commitment to improving care for people living with dementia and their families
- A positive choice - Everyday stories of nursing excellence in older people’s care (PDF). Published by RCN Scotland, this report comprises of eight stories celebrating the compassion and expertise of nurses and health care support workers (HCSWs) who care for older people in Scotland
- Care of older people subject guide.
- Older people in care homes: Sex, Sexuality and Intimate Relationships. Guidance for nurses and care staff work effectively with issues of sexuality, intimate relationships, sexual expression and sex, particularly people living in care homes.
- Social prescribing. Social prescribing refers to a wide range of alternative methods to promoting health and well-being including mental health in today’s modern health care settings
Useful resources
- Age and Ageing (2018). The assessment of pain in older people: UK national guidelines
- Age UK. Website for nursing staff working with older people
- Ambition for Ageing (2020). Ageing in Place for Minority Ethnic communities: The importance of social infrastructure (PDF)
- Cochrane Library. Hygiene and emollient interventions for maintaining skin integrity in older people in hospital and residential care settings. This review looks at the effects of washing and moisturising practices on the skin health of older people in hospital and residential care settings
- Department of Health. Older people. Section of the Department of Health website that brings together policy and guidance for older people
- NHS England. A practice primer on mental health in older people
- NICE. Older people. Webpage from NICE that signposts the latest clinical guidelines, quality standards, pathways and advice for the care of older people
- NICE. Social care for older people with multiple long term conditions quality standard (QS132)
- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (2021). Eating and drinking with acknowledged risks. Multidisciplinary guidance on eating and drinking with acknowledged risks.
- Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). Older people. Section of the SCIE website that brings together all of the resources produced by SCIE which are relevant to care of older people. Resources include relevant videos from Social Care TV
- SIGN (2020). Management of osteoporosis and the prevention of fragility fractures. This guideline provides recommendations based on current evidence for best practice in the management of osteoporosis and prevention of fractures.
Regulatory standards
Standards for the care of older people are set by the regulatory agencies of the four UK countries. These standards are in place to ensure the level of care for older people never falls below them.
England
- Care Quality Commission (2015) Regulations for service providers and managers. This guidance describes how providers and managers can meet the regulations. These include the fundamental standards – the standards below which care must never fall.
- Care Quality Commission (2016) Fundamental standards. The fundamental standards are the standards below which a person's care must never fall.
Northern Ireland
Scotland
- Healthcare Improvement Scotland (2015) Care of older people in hospital standards
- Scottish Government. Health and Social Care standards
Wales
Care home journey
The Care Home Journey is specifically designed to support nursing care in older peoples care homes. It is the first time the RCN has provided bespoke web pages for nurses working in this area of the independent sector and the content has been reviewed by current experts.
View the resource.
Complex conversations and decisions for care home leaders
The RCN has created a four webinars for leaders and managers of care home to support complex and sensitive conversations in nursing practice.
Page last updated - 21/11/2023
