The training experiences of older, volunteer lay leaders on an arthritis self-management course

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the training experiences of a group of older volunteers in preparation for delivering an arthritis self-management course as a lay leader. Design The study was a pre-test post-test design with data collected at three points in time: before attending training; 6 weeks, and 6 months after training. Setting This study recruited participants from three training courses for lay leaders run in Leicester, Shrewsbury and Skipton. Method Data were collected through a baseline questionnaire and interviews. The sample comprised 22 older people with arthritis. The majority of participants were women, with either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Results Volunteering to become a lay leader was motivated by the need to fill the vocational void left by retirement, to feel a useful member of society by helping others and to find a peer group. Expectations included gaining a greater understanding of arthritis, peer support and the opportunity to meet similar people. At follow-up, identified training needs included team-working, presentation skills, and more time for personal discussion. The main benefits of training were social and skills based. The most disliked aspect of training was its intensity. Conclusions Through training, volunteers felt that they had acquired a purpose to their lives. The group training experience had enabled volunteers to draw social comparisons with their peers.Volunteers thrived on feeling 'at home' in a training environment reminiscent of their past working lives. Disappointment was expressed regarding the long gap between training and delivering a self-management course.