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The GOLD Programme The GOLD programme was set up to address the unmet needs of many older people with learning disabilities. The lack of provision has been identified in a number of reports including the Foundation's own Inquiry into services and opportunities for adults with a learning disability (Building Expectations. 1996), and the Social Services Inspectorate report into services for older people with learning disabilities (DoH. 1997). The aim is to improve the lives of older people of learning disabilities by co-ordinating a range of projects which will increase our understanding of what people's concerns are and how best they may be addressed. To maximise the value of the lessons learnt, an integral part of the programme is a national dissemination strategy which will include a series of conferences and publications. The Foundation has developed a database for work focusing on older people with learning disabilities which is accessible on the Internet. For example, a response to the England White Paper looking from the perspective of family carers is available. The funded research and service development projects The thirteen projects will be finished by 2002. Six of the projects focus on older family carers and are summarised below. The others concern dementia and people with Down's, increasing social opportunities for older people, support at the time of the menopause and terminal care. Work With Older Asian Families, Sharing Caring Project In 2000 the Sharing Caring acquired additional funding to work with older Asian families. The work has been undertaken in partnership with the Sheffield Asian Disability Project. Shameen Haleem was appointed to the project and quickly found enormous levels of unmet need. Particular difficulties included language barriers, lack of information about services and benefits and the common poor health of the family carers. Contact:
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