Nearly a quarter of all older people in England and Wales live in rural areas. For service commissioners and deliverers, it is important to understand how ageing impacts upon service delivery so that services can be tailored to address those needs and ensure equitable services for an increasingly important sector of the population.

At this free evening seminar, researchers from TNS BMRB and the International Longevity Centre describe research which explores:

• The impact of an older population in rural areas on service demand and delivery
• Where and how the design and delivery of key services need to be tailored to meet present and future needs
• Underlying principles of good practice in designing and delivering key services to an older population.

The research methods used include a literature review, secondary data analysis, and qualitative research with a range of service users and designers/deliverers. This research was conducted to inform Defra’s development of policy and local strategies for the protection and improvement of services and to better understand the needs of older people.