Enhancing lives: public engagement in ageing, health, and social care research

Co-creating the future of social care

At Heriot-Watt University, we are collaborating with older autistic adults with learning disabilities to visualise the future of social care. This pioneering project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has enabled co-researchers, Iceberg Productions, and Scottish Autism to co-create a compelling documentary that captures the visions of older autistic individuals regarding future social care services.

The documentary, along with a process film, serves as a catalyst for discussions among social care workers and older autistic people. These discussions are creatively captured in artwork, which, along with the films, will be disseminated to care providers, carers, policymakers, and the wider public. The aim is to raise awareness about the needs and perspectives of older autistic people, highlight their meaningful engagement in decision-making processes, and contribute to the design of future social care services.

Key issues highlighted by the project include:

• Equity in capturing voices
• Reciprocity in relationships
• Involving people at the center of inquiry
• Recognizing and respecting research fatigue
• Co-designing and co-producing research
• Hearing and listening
• Accessibility

The project also addresses important ethical considerations such as ownership of research outputs, authorship, effective partnerships, stakeholder needs, and managing expectations

Through the project, we have identified two priority areas for research:

1. Prioritizing health and wellbeing over merely identifying illness.
2. Ensuring health maintenance and illness identification occur within community settings, integrating these aspects into daily life to reduce psychological and physical burdens.

If you would like to know more, or get involved in the project, contact researchinvolvement@hw.ac.uk