Evaluation of Drink Wise, Age Well Programme
The Drink Wise, Age Well programme was a Big Lottery funded multi-component intervention delivered over five years across the four nations of the UK. The aim of the programme was to reduce alcohol harm in older adults (defined here as people aged over 50 because the ageing process amongst chronic alcohol users can be accelerated). It had four main objectives:
- To raise awareness of alcohol misuse amongst people over 50 years old, change attitudes, reduce stigma, and convey harm reduction messages to the community.
- To increase individual and community resilience to alcohol problems in those over 50 years old.
- To increase recognition of risky drinking in the over 50s age group amongst service providers.
- To develop evidence of how to prevent alcohol misuse for people aged over 50 years old to inform future preventative work.
The evaluation was conducted by a team from the University of Bedfordshire, Glasgow Caledonian University, Wrexham Glyndwr University (Prof Iolo Madoc-Jones, Fiona Wilson), and Queen’s University Belfast. The team aimed to determine whether the programme was working and measure its impact using a method called Contribution Analysis. Contribution Analysis aims to assess the change that is likely to result from multiple factors to provide credible evidence that any reasonable person is likely to agree with.
The Contribution Analysis involved conducting workshops with staff and participants to understand their motivations, which were developed into logical plans and charts showing mechanisms of change. After this, the team met with staff and consulted the existing literature to clarify and refine their understanding of the issues. Finally, they developed contribution narratives describing how each area of the programme was implemented and effected change.
After a thorough analysis, the researchers’ Contribution Analysis found that Drink Wise, Age Well attempted to effect change through four overlapping areas: increasing knowledge, awareness, and profile of the issue; increasing resilience; supporting people to make changes to their alcohol use; and reducing stigma and discrimination.
Increasing knowledge, awareness, and profile of the issue
Participants’ awareness and knowledge of alcohol issues in the over 50s age group increased throughout the programme. Some activities that contributed to this were media campaigns, professional training, educational interventions, and screening for harmful drinking.
Increasing resilience
The programme seemed to increase resilience amongst older adults. This was assessed at three levels: individual, social, and environmental level resilience. The majority of participants began and ended the course with the same level of individual resilience (as measured by the Brief Resilience Scale), which may have indicated a preventative function. The course appeared to benefit those who had the lowest levels of resilience on entry. Data from social activities and groups from the programme hinted that the alcohol prevention measures may have longer term effectiveness through building environmental resilience.
Supporting people to make changes to their alcohol use
The performance story outlined in the main report highlights that Drink Wise, Age Well did support people to make changes to their alcohol use. Drink Wise, Age Well provided numerous people with information about hazardous drinking, encouraging them to benchmark their alcohol usage amongst recommended guidelines to become more mindful of their drinking habits. The older adults believed the specific age appropriate service may have benefited them more than if they were participating in a mixed age service, finding it less stigmatising and more flexible. Drink Wise, Age Well has therefore supported adults over 50 years old who might not have otherwise realised a need to alter their drinking habits.
Reducing stigma and discrimination
Older adults with alcohol problems can face prejudice regarding their drinking. Drink Well, Age Wise’s programme reduced stigma based on evidence from the mental health field. The activities targeted the general population, organisations, families, and individuals experiencing alcohol problems. Discussion about alcohol use was normalised, ageist stereotypes were confronted, and policy was influenced to tackle structural stigma. Drink Wise, Age Well directly helped those with alcohol problems by supporting them one-to-one, helping them cope with negative experiences, helping them find a new sense of purpose through volunteering and social activities, and fostering a supportive peer network.
