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This paper's aim is to explore older peoples' decision making regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and their perceptions and experiences of well‐being.

Qualitative focus groups with 37 volunteers aged over 61 years exploring health and well‐being decision making were held at a community centre in southwest London. Data were content analysed.

Five themes emerged: physical well‐being, impact on activity, emotional issues, community and health services, and keeping positive. A range of CAM was used, most commonly mind/body or physical therapies. The main reason for CAM use was to “keep going” and maintain well‐being. Conventional medicine was perceived as central to well‐being, with CAM used to address its limitations. Decision making was rarely systematic; anecdotal information dominated, and disclosure to conventional practitioners was uncommon. “Keeping going” is important for older people and often promoted by CAM, including manipulative and exercise therapies. Concurrent CAM and conventional medication use, unreliable information and/or insufficient discussion with conventional providers may have safety implications. Healthcare providers should consider exploring CAM use with older people and facilitating access to CAM information.

Asking older people about CAM use may be integral to providing holistic, safe care. CAM use may provide an opportunity for health promotion in older people by encouraging self‐management and the taking of responsibility for their own health.

Although up to half of older people in the UK may use CAM, there is little information on their decision‐making processes.

Recent research and media attention has highlighted soaring levels of stress among young people. As part of a programme of research based across a number of universities in London and the South‐West of the UK (called WestFocus) a team of psychologists, social scientists and complementary practitioners have started to investigate this issue with the aim of introducing stress management interventions into the school environment. This paper aims to examine their findings.

This paper summarises the set up, progress, results and implications of a six‐week stress management intervention piloted and evaluated with teenagers at school. The intervention aimed to provide a holistic approach to stress management teaching students both psychological techniques (such as cognitive behavioural therapy) and complementary therapy approaches (such as Indian head massage and aromatherapy).

Structured assessments and qualitative feedback taken at the beginning and end of the programme revealed that emotional well‐being and self‐esteem improved and perceived stress decreased for students. Initial stress levels were found to be high and to have a negative impact on school performance and social activity.

The nature and high levels of stress symptoms experienced by this group of young people have significant implications for the general well‐being of young people and the design of products or services to help.

Relatively little is know about how stress levels affect the well‐being and behaviour of young people including avenues for stress relief, methods of coping and the implications this may have for services, interventions or marketing. This paper aims to explore these issues.