Agenda item

The Committee considered Carmarthenshire’s Ageing Well Plan Annual Report. It was explained that as a signatory of the Dublin Declaration for Age Friendly Cities and Communities, the Council committed in 2014, to the production of an Ageing Well Plan and an Annual Report was required by the Older Peoples Commission. The overall aim was to make the most of the capacity of communities to support the independent living of older people.

The Policy, Consultation & Engagement Officer explained that the Annual Report demonstrated the Council’s performance against the five main priorities: Age Friendly Communities, Dementia Supportive Communities, Falls Prevention, Opportunities for Employment and New Skills and Loneliness and Isolation. It was noted that it was important that the Council changed the way services were planned and provided to ensure that, as the number of older people in Carmarthenshire continued to increase, people could live in good health and be involved with their families and communities as much as possible. It was explained that a broader range of measures were being considered that required lower level interventions to ensure sustainability.

It was highlighted that there had been a lot of work undertaken in developing dementia supportive communities and a good example was Llanelli market becoming the first dementia friendly market in Wales. There had also been significant work in falls prevention and an example of this was the SAVE Scheme across the Public Service Board partners, which was a make every contact count initiative. The Scheme provided training to partners to identify where preventative services could be required when they were in contact with residents. It was highlighted that isolation and loneliness was a silent killer and activities that were of benefit to residents and the communities had been introduced. For example, encouraging active lifestyles, volunteering and theatre concessions.

Members expressed concerns regarding the lack of regular public transport, in rural areas and the cost of using other methods of transport to visit hospitals and other facilities, especially if people had been referred there. The Head of Integrated Services queried if issues regarding access to primary care had been raised with the Community Health Council. It was proposed and agreed by the Committee that the Community Health Council be invited to a future meeting to discuss such issues.

It was highlighted that transport schemes, such as Country Cars, were not available in all areas of the County. The Committee noted that Country Cars should be advertised further to recruit more volunteer drivers and encourage people to use the scheme for it to expand. The Head of Integrated Services explained that it would have to be ensured that there was capacity to meet an increase in demand before advertising the scheme further. It was suggested that once the service was in a position to increase advertising then the Information, Advice and Assistance Service would be the ideal platform for such advertising. The Information, Advice & Assistance Manager highlighted that as a result of consultation with older people the Service was trying to create communities of people who could share transport.

Members highlighted that Social Services seems to be more flexible in meeting needs of service users than the Health Service, which was more prescriptive. It was pointed out that older people who were placed in hospitals and care homes outside of the main urban areas, for example in Crosshands, resulted in them becoming more isolated partly due to the lack of transport links. It was noted that having a care home in Llanelli would help to address this issue. It was highlighted that information on the ARCH project would be included in the presentation on the City Deal at the meeting of Special Council that afternoon. It was noted that placements in Crosshands had been stepdown beds for an interim period.

The Committee expressed concern that there was a reduction in community classes due to budget efficiencies and it was hoped that new developments, such as the library in Llandelio, would help to encourage more community groups. Members commented that the concessions offered by theatres were good value for money.

Members highlighted that the 50+ Forum had grown and was doing well and the Committee expressed their thanks to the Forum.

UNAMIOULSY RESOLVED

6.1       that the report be received;

6.2       that the Community Health Council be invited to a future meeting of the Social Care & Health Scrutiny Committee.