Living Longer, Living Well

Living Longer, Living Well,

Warwickshire strategy for people aged 50+

A Model for Prevention

Why Does WarwickshireNeed A Strategy?

We are all being expected to take increasingpersonal responsibility forour own health and wellbeing including people aged over 50. This is reflected in the new national policy focus on prevention and early intervention.

With the advances of medical interventions, better housing and food, many more people will live into their 80s and 90s and even 100s. This is one of the greatest success stories of the 21st Century.However, many people still do not prepare for older age either financially or emotionally nor do they make appropriate adjustments to their home environment.

It is widely accepted that mostolder people want to remain in their own homes, live independently and safely and within their means and above all, enjoy life as they get older. Unfortunately for some, Long TermConditions may make this difficult without support. Many people are unaware of activities, services and support that can enhance their lives perhapsby contributing as a volunteer, as well as ‘keeping in touch’ with and being part of their community.

Encouraging people to become more active, to look after their own health better, contribute to and be part of society, are all achievable aims, as studies over recent decades confirm the benefits to the individual and to society.

The reason why these aims are often not achieved is thatmany people are not easily accessing earlier enough, the right information and services at the right timethat can have a dramatic impact on maintaining their physical and mental wellbeing. The result is mounting pressure on all services providers including Health and Social Services.

How can Warwickshire plan an Effective Prevention Strategy?

We can focus on helping more people remain independent and on preventing ill-health by developing or sustaining a range of services that keep people active and involved in their communities.

The NHS, County Council, District and Borough Councils and voluntary organisations and other partners including the private sector can work much more closely together to make the best use of all their collective resources, actively referring people to other services, to “Make Every Contact Count”.

Proactively, identify people at risk of developing high level care needs, encouraging and enabling them to take greater responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, will be a priority.

Where people have become ill or in need of social care, putting them in touch with Information Navigatorscan provide them with choice and control, so they get access to the support they need. Trusted, community based organisations like Age UK Warwickshire Gateway service, Citizens Advice Bureaux and Healthwatch are uniquely placed to provide and deliver this support.

BME Communities

The diversity of the population in Warwickshire is acknowledged but more research is needed to identify the needs of those from different cultural backgrounds, as well as the challenges of the geography and health and wealth variations across the county. However, two key themes have been identified by the older BME Community, Accessible Information and Digital Inclusion. Warwickshire Race Equality Partnership (WREP) reports that many older people are not accessing services because they do not know about them. Language and illiteracy are still significant barriers to women over 70 years of age. To overcome the disadvantages and improve prevention people need access to

Advocacy Serviceswith a focus on health, Adult Social Care and Benefits
Awareness and understanding on looking after themselves better safeguarding and dementia.
Adult Learningan affordable programme of learning incorporating life skills, basic English phrases around health, banking/finance and access to I.T
Keeping Fit and Active Affordable and accessible classes

What should Warwickshire do next?

Key decision and policy makers in the county should:

Identify key players who can contribute to a countywide prevention agenda
Invite the key representation from the public, voluntaryand private sectors to participate in a joint workshop, seeking engagement and agreement on this strategy
Consult and agree a Prevention Strategy for older people with older people.
Launch and publicise the Strategy and its implementation plan to the public.

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The Prevention Agenda – Living Well

Increased choice and control.

Choice and control benefits the individual and the wider society, but how can we make this happen?

Support in the home - low level support and access to reliable vetted care contractors or individuals that maintain older people’s independence and dignity.
Promote how to access local community befriending services, social clubs, meetings of like-minded people.
Recognise that mental illness left unchecked will reduce quality of life, reduce the ability to live life welland is costly to the people who are ill, their families and friends, the NHS and other statutory bodies.
Enabling people to get out and about in affordable accessible transport is key to moving people to places where they can find companionship support and services.
For those people who cannot or are unable to speak up for themselves, advocacy services become a lifeline to enable them to have a say in decisions that affect them.

Access to quality, impartial information, advice, advocacy and assessments

Accurate and reliable information is critical in enabling anyone to make informed decisions, choose what they want to do and take some control

Signposting by all public sector agencies, voluntary organisations and the private sector to relevant I&A service providers to “Make Every Contact Count”
Offering a fully accessible assessment with information on how to make changes which improve wellbeing.
Encouraging employers to inform staff nearing retirement, on preparation for life after work.

Living in housing in a good state of repair and adapted as required

A higher than average proportion of older people own their own homes. Poor housing maintenance is recognised as an important contributor to poor health. Some older people have limited resources especially with today’s low savings rates and are vulnerable to unscrupulous traders. They should have:

Access to independent advice and good value for repairs and adaptations.
Better understanding of housing options e.g. move, adapt or repair
Access to aids and equipment to sustain independence
Better understanding of financial options and fuel tarrifs.

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Feeling safe in and part of the community

Feeling you’re safe in your home and where you live is important in enabling people to go out and get involved.

Fostering communities to identify issues and work together to improve lives.
Promote local streetbefriending to support isolated older people.

Promote access to the benefits of technology

Advances in technology have changed the way we live our lives. For some they have yet to access these advances or see how they could benefit from them; for others technology will enable them to remain independent and safe.

Promote Telecare and ‘Lifeline’ telephones.
Learning to use computers, the internet,

Safe use of the internet, encouraging access to online services such as shopping, comparing prices, keeping in touch and sustainingfriendships, as well as staying in contact with your extended family in the UK and elsewhere

Ageing Well – Keeping fit physically and mentally

The benefits of being fitter both mentally and physically know no age barriers - getting active benefits everyone.

Access to low cost exercise in local communities which contribute to falls prevention and healthy hearts.
Access to specialist exercise for those at risk of falling.
Signposting people to activities and occupations including volunteering, which improves their sense of mental wellbeing.

Lifelong Learning Opportunities

Learning and sharing knowledge should be a lifelong experience. Learning outside of formal education can play a vital part in keeping people active and engaged.

Access to affordable classes in the local community.
Support initiatives which allow the sharing of skills, e.g. “Men in Sheds”, “Cooking in the Kitchen”.

Volunteering – Making a positive Contribution

Numerous studies confirm the value of volunteering in supporting better health and mental wellbeing.

Volunteering means being part of the community
Volunteering needs organisation support and funding
Promoting volunteering in schools, colleges, the work place and amongst the retired

Improved Quality of Life

The Impact of these interventions will provide for an improved quality of life leading to:

Increased Independence
Activeness
Enjoying a good social life
Being valued and feeling part of their community.

Summary

Successful delivery of this model for prevention is reliant on effective Partnership working and integration at both strategic and operational levels of key agencies to ensure services are complementary and add value to older people’s lives. Pathways from statutory agencies to community based services must be formally joined up if we are to make a real and actual difference to older people’s lives through information which supports a Model for Prevention.

This strategy reflects the growing acknowledgement at national and local level that we need to transform the delivery of health, care and support services for older people aged 50 plus through active interventionif we are to meet the demographic andfinancial challenges of the next 20 years.

Elizabeth Phillips

Chief Executive

Age UK Warwickshire

The following section provides a brief practical guide of the services and support which contribute to the aforementioned aims. If the reader has any queries or needs more information, please contact Age UK Warwickshire on Tel: 01926 458100 or

e-mail:

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Appendix i

List of services which already contribute to Aims 1 to 8.

Age UK Warwickshire / Citizen Advice Bureau & other key partners / Warwickshire Older People’s Forum
1. / Increased choice and control.

Ageing Well – local exercise classes
Befriending Service
Lunch and Social Clubs
Lifestyle – Home Help Service
Counselling
Support Time & Recovery Project
Accessible Minibuses
Drop-in Centres, Leamington Spa, Atherstone, Rugby
Working with local older people forums

/ CABx:

High street locations for drop in and appointments, information and advice; extensive networks for signposting and referrals
Financial capability including helping people with energy bills
Outreach and home visiting services

The Warwickshire Older People’s Forum enables older people to be better informed, maximise their health and well-being and, most importantly, gives older people a greater voice by combining forces with local senior people’s forums and other relevant organisations.
Works towards a better deal for older people and equity of services for older people across the county.
Provides opportunities for older people to have a say on matters of concern.
Campaigns in order to influence decision making and takes part in appropriate national campaigns.
Maintains links with local organisations across the county.

2. / Access to quality, impartial information, advice, advocacy and assessments

Gateway – assessing a person’s needs, providing solutions or guidance
Information & Advice surgeries located across the County
Signposting to other partners
Information events for the over 50’s

/ CABx:

High Street locations for drop in and appointments, information and advice; extensive networks for signposting and referrals
Financial capability including helping people with energy bills
Outreach and home visiting services
Access to information, better deals, online form filling, through Web Wise project Age UK and CAB
Healthwatch--information
Macmillan Welfare Benefits Advice project, home visiting
CAB campaigns including Soldiering On; Left Out in the Cold, to bring issues to public attention and lobby for improvements
Action for Older People Stratford group looks for opportunities to help
Support for older people needing small grants in times of hardship

Source of impartial information, support and acts in a signposting capacity to other organisations, as appropriate.

3. / Living in housing in a good state of repair and adapted as required

Care & Repair – A Home improvement Agency
Handyperson Services
Gardening
Home Safety Checks NWBC, SDC & WDC – Fit grab rails, level paving slabs etc.

/ CABx:

Help when things go wrong
Links with Trading Standards; Scams awareness; Consumer Empowerment Partnership

4. / Feeling safe in and part of the community

Supporting small voluntary organisations
Working with partners like the Citizen Advice Bureau to improve signposting for specialist advice
Raising awareness of the effects of loneliness and isolations
Mobile Library Service

/ CABx:

Volunteering
CAB attendance at events and locations eg Tea & Chat; care homes
CAB Reach Out and Help programme including door knocking
(as above, information, advice, signposting, outreach and home visiting, campaigns, scams awareness)

5. / Promote access to and the benefits of technology

Home Safety Checks – advising about ‘Lifelines’ and Telecare
Handypersons fit Telecare equipment
Webwise - A project with Stratford Upon Avon CAB to encourage people to use the internet.

/ CABx:

Access to information, better deals, online form filling, through Web Wise project Age UK and CAB

6. / Ageing Well – Keeping fit physically and mentally

40 affordable exercise classes in local venues that encourage people to improve the physical and mental wellbeing and reduce falls.
Home Safety Checks – Part of the falls prevention programme to identify hazards inside and outside people’s homes

7. / Lifelong Learning Opportunities

Actively seeking grants to develop ‘Men in Sheds’ project

/ CABx:

Building links with organisations such as U3A

8. / Volunteering – Making a positive Contribution

AUKW manages 446 active volunteers who give annually 50,000 + hours. Volunteers work in 15 Services

In 2013/14 volunteers were responsible for delivering 29% of AUKW Services / CABx:

(volunteering stats)

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Appendix ii

How to access information on services which help maintain independence

List of Key Agencies:-

Age UK Warwickshire older peoples’ information centres

Atherstone – 01827 719079

Rugby – 01788 552548

Leamington Spa – 01926 458143

Stratford Upon Avon – 01789 205059

Alzheimer’s Society01926 888899 or

Citizen Advice Bureau0844 855 2322 or

Support for Carers01926 410 410 or

Independent Advocacy02476 697 443 or

WCAVANorth Warwickshire – 01827 718080

and Bedworth – 02476 385765

Rugby Borough – 01788 574258

Warwick – 01926 477512

District & Borough Housing Advice TeamsNorth Warwickshire – 01827 715341

Nuneaton and Bedworth – 02476 376376

Warwick – 01926 456359

Stratford – 01789 260844/5

Rugby – 01788 533533

WCC Contact Centre – Access to care01926 410410 or

assessments

WCC Directory of Services

Warwickshire Racial Equality Partnership 01788 863117 or

(WREP)

Housing Associations providingOrbit – 0345 8 500500

Sheltered and Extra Care HousingJephsons – 01926 831177

(or Google Housing Associations)Bromford – 0845 6050603

Waterloo – 01827 711105