The Original Authentic knowledgeable Souls (OAKS) group was born in response to a clear need for group therapy within older adult’s service. Compared with working adult populations, older adults may experience higher levels of loneliness and isolation, which has been further exacerbated due to the Covid-19 pandemic (Age UK, 2021). Involvement in group therapy can mitigate these discrepancies by regenerating a sense of independence, mutual support and decrease loneliness (Poole et al., 2009). The OAKS group is an intersection of occupational therapy and psychology which uses narrative therapy, meaningful activity, and the recovery model to boost the confidence and identity of older people. The themes of the recovery model scaffold the structure and sessions of the group. Narrative therapy acts as a vehicle to explore these themes and strengthen preferred self-narratives (White, 2005). Meaningful occupational activity is used to embed these themes and alternative narratives. Being based within the community, the group encourages inclusion of older adults in society by promoting their engagement and presence within communities. The therapeutic use of self, transfer of energy and knowledge between disciplines, and orientation towards recovery are the essence of the OAKS group.

Our hopes are to share with you how we used narrative informed approaches to support clients, colleagues, and ourselves in an older adult day hospital. Using narrative practices here resulted in innovative approaches to team formulation and group level interventions being developed and piloted. An unexpected consequence was the benefits for the staff in re-connecting them with their values. Working together in these ways helped colleagues to remember ‘what the job is about’ which was sustaining in the context of the modern day NHS. Also, these practices re-connected us with our own values and opened up new possibilities for our own future practice.